Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
German Auto Suppliers Turn Bearish as Investment and Jobs Shift Overseas 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
Asian share markets opened the week on a cautious note, largely tracking weaker Wall Street futures, as extreme volatility in silver prices and a packed global economic calendar unsettled investors. The sharp moves in commodities, combined with upcoming corporate earnings, central bank meetings, and key economic data, set a nervous tone for global financial markets.
Silver prices plunged as much as 5% early Monday, extending Friday’s dramatic 30% sell-off that forced leveraged investors to unwind crowded positions. Market participants also cited the temporary halt in trading of the UBS SDIC silver futures fund in China as a catalyst for the rout. Precious metals volatility spilled over into gold, which fell 1.4% to around $4,807 an ounce after losing nearly 10% in the previous session.
Oil prices also declined sharply, with Brent crude sliding nearly 3% and U.S. crude dropping close to 2.8%. The pullback followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, easing immediate fears of a U.S. military strike and reducing geopolitical risk premiums in energy markets.
Equity markets reflected the unease. MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan fell 0.7%, with South Korean stocks down 1%. Japan’s Nikkei bucked the trend, rising 0.7% as opinion polls pointed to a likely landslide victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party. Investors anticipate aggressive fiscal stimulus and a weaker yen under her leadership, potentially supporting Japanese exporters.
In Europe, futures for the Euro STOXX 50 and DAX edged lower ahead of a heavy earnings week covering nearly 30% of regional market capitalization. U.S. futures also softened, with investors closely watching results from major technology firms such as Alphabet, Amazon, and AMD, particularly regarding AI spending and profitability.
Currency markets were relatively steady, with the dollar holding near $1.1847 per euro, while the yen weakened to around 155 per dollar. Attention now turns to central bank decisions from the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Bank of England, and Reserve Bank of Australia, alongside the upcoming U.S. payrolls report, which could reshape expectations for interest rate cuts later this year.
