Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Eases Supply Concerns 
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
Asian stock markets advanced on Monday, recovering part of last week’s losses as renewed expectations of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December strengthened investor confidence. Buying interest returned to the region’s beaten-down technology sector, although overall trading activity was somewhat subdued due to a market holiday in Japan.
Market sentiment improved after Wall Street closed higher on Friday, boosted by dovish comments from Federal Reserve officials. Futures tracking the S&P 500 climbed 0.5% in early Asian hours, signaling broader optimism ahead of key U.S. economic data releases for September, including inflation and labor market indicators. Traders are now pricing in a roughly 67% chance of a 25-basis-point rate cut in December—up sharply from last week’s estimates—according to CME FedWatch, driving demand for risk assets.
Across Asia, South Korea’s KOSPI led gains with a 1.2% rise, followed by Australia’s ASX 200, which climbed 1%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 1.3% as investors cautiously returned to tech names. India’s Nifty 50 futures were flat, reflecting a more measured market response.
Chinese stocks, however, underperformed. Mainland markets slipped about 0.3% as chipmaking shares experienced steep declines. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp dropped more than 7%, while AI chip firm Cambricon Technologies also weakened. The sell-off followed reports that the U.S. may allow NVIDIA to resume sales of its advanced H200 AI chips in China, potentially reducing demand for domestically produced semiconductors and raising concerns over China’s tech self-sufficiency goals.
Still, some Chinese tech giants posted modest gains. Tencent edged up 0.7%, Alibaba added 0.3% ahead of earnings, and Baidu rose nearly 2% after a JPMorgan upgrade citing strong AI and cloud growth potential.
Despite recent volatility, investors remain focused on the potential boost that lower U.S. interest rates could bring to global liquidity and risk-driven markets.
