Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
New Zealand Budget Outlook Shows Prolonged Deficits Despite Economic Recovery Hopes 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
U.S. Stock Futures Mixed as Tech and AI Stocks Face Pressure Ahead of CPI Data 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 
Australian Consumer Sentiment Slumps in Early December as Inflation Fears Resurface 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets 
Asian stocks tumbled Friday, led by steep declines in Japan and South Korea, as tech shares mirrored Wall Street’s Nvidia-driven slump. Investors also assessed Tokyo’s latest inflation data ahead of the key U.S. PCE inflation report, which could influence the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.2%, hitting its lowest since September 2024. SoftBank (TYO:9984) plunged 5.3%, while Tokyo Electron (TYO:8035) lost 5.1% and Panasonic (TYO:6752) fell 2%. South Korea’s KOSPI declined 3.1%, with Samsung Electronics (KS:005930) down 2.2% and SK Hynix (KS:000660) sinking 4.7%. India’s Nifty 50 fell 1%, and Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 1.1%.
In China, the Shanghai Composite dropped over 1%, while the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 fell 0.9%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined 2.6% but remained on track for a 15% gain in February, fueled by investor enthusiasm for DeepSeek’s AI advancements. Despite U.S. tariff concerns, Chinese tech stocks surged, with Alibaba (HK:9988) soaring 48% and Xiaomi (HK:1810) up 37% this month.
Tokyo’s core CPI rose 2.2% in February, easing from January’s 2.5% but staying above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target for the fourth month. Japan’s industrial output fell 1.1% in January, though manufacturers expect a 5% rebound in February. Meanwhile, retail sales rose 3.9% YoY, signaling steady consumer spending.
Global markets remain volatile as investors weigh inflation data, interest rate expectations, and tech sector performance.
