Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Dollar Holds Steady Ahead of U.S. CPI as Oil Surge, Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
China Home Prices Fall Again in June Despite Slower Pace of Decline 
Japanese Yen Holds Steady as Intervention Hopes Grow Ahead of U.S. CPI Data 
Australia Consumer Sentiment Rises in July as Fuel Price Relief Lifts Confidence 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Asian stock markets traded mostly higher on Friday, taking cues from a mixed close on Wall Street overnight as investors remained cautious ahead of the closely watched U.S. nonfarm payrolls report. The upcoming U.S. jobs data is expected to play a crucial role in shaping expectations around future Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, keeping global market sentiment subdued.
U.S. stocks ended Thursday with little overall movement. Technology stocks slipped after recent gains, placing pressure on the Nasdaq, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 closed nearly unchanged. Wall Street index futures were also largely flat during Asian trading hours, reflecting investor uncertainty before the key labor market release.
Across Asia, stock markets mirrored this cautious tone. South Korea’s KOSPI index traded flat after reaching record highs earlier in the week, driven by semiconductor sector gains. Shares of major chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix declined between 1.5% and 3%, weighing on the index. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.3%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index remained flat. Futures for India’s Nifty 50 also showed little change.
Japanese equities stood out as regional outperformers. The Nikkei 225 climbed 1%, and the broader TOPIX index gained 0.3%. The rally was supported by a weaker yen against the U.S. dollar, which improved earnings prospects for export-focused companies and boosted investor confidence in Japanese stocks.
In China, fresh economic data offered cautious optimism. Official figures showed that China’s consumer price index rose 0.8% year-on-year in December, marking its fastest pace in nearly three years. Monthly inflation increased 0.2%, while producer price deflation eased, suggesting stabilization in factory-gate prices. These trends indicate that China may be nearing the end of a prolonged deflationary phase that has weighed on economic growth, corporate profits, and consumer spending.
Chinese equities responded positively, with the CSI 300 index gaining 0.3% and the Shanghai Composite rising 0.6%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index, however, traded flat. Overall, Asian markets remained cautious but resilient as investors awaited clearer signals from U.S. economic data and global monetary policy direction.
