China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
New Zealand Fast-Tracks Gold Mining as Industry Revival Gains Momentum 
Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
Yen Near 40-Year Low as USD/JPY Approaches Key 162 Level, Raising Intervention Concerns 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
100+ Global Companies Push Governments to Prioritize Electrification for Economic Growth 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Rally Pauses, South Korean Chipmakers Lead Regional Decline 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
US Dollar Hits One-Year High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Overshadows Middle East Developments 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears 
U.S.-Iran Diplomacy Helps Drive Gasoline Prices Down 15% From May Highs 
Gold Price Rises as Investors Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks and Fed Policy Outlook 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Gold Prices Mixed as Stronger Dollar Offsets Safe-Haven Demand Amid U.S.-Iran Peace Talks 
Asian stocks showed mixed performance in light trading Thursday, with several markets closed for the Lunar New Year. The U.S. dollar remained steady after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, signaling no rush to cut them.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that while the economy remains strong, it is not overheating. However, uncertainty looms over U.S. trade policies, with potential new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China set for Saturday.
On Wall Street, major tech earnings were mixed. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) exceeded revenue expectations, but Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) missed profit margin estimates. Meta (NASDAQ: META) provided a weaker-than-expected first-quarter revenue forecast, while Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) reports earnings later Thursday. The results had little impact on concerns about Chinese AI startup DeepSeek challenging U.S. dominance in artificial intelligence, which had sparked a global tech selloff earlier in the week.
U.S. stock indexes closed slightly lower Wednesday, with tech dragging down the S&P 500 by 0.5%. However, futures pointed to a 0.4% rebound. Australia's benchmark index rose 0.5%, while Japan's Nikkei remained flat.
The U.S. dollar index held at 107.89, with the euro at $1.0420 ahead of the European Central Bank's expected rate cut. The yen strengthened 0.4% to 154.55 per dollar before a speech from Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino.
Oil prices edged higher after U.S. crude closed at its lowest level this year. WTI crude rose 0.3% to $72.84 per barrel, while Brent crude added 0.2% to $76.73, with markets watching Trump’s potential tariffs on Canada and Mexico, key U.S. oil suppliers.
