Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
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 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Trump and Iran Sign Framework Peace Deal in France Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Most Asian stock markets moved lower on Thursday, tracking a weaker overnight close on Wall Street, as investors engaged in profit-taking after recent global equity record highs. However, South Korean equities stood out, with the benchmark KOSPI surging to a fresh all-time high after strong earnings guidance from Samsung Electronics boosted confidence in the semiconductor sector.
U.S. stocks finished mostly lower overnight, reflecting cautious sentiment and profit-taking following record-setting sessions earlier in the week. During Asian trading hours, Wall Street index futures remained largely unchanged, offering little support to regional markets.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 fell around 1%, while the broader TOPIX index slipped 0.4%, extending losses after touching record peaks earlier this week. Investors appeared to lock in gains while assessing subdued cues from U.S. markets. Mainland Chinese equities were also muted, with the CSI 300 index declining 0.4% and the Shanghai Composite trading mostly flat. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index underperformed, sliding 1.4% amid broader regional weakness.
In contrast, South Korea’s KOSPI continued its strong upward momentum, climbing more than 1% to a record high of 4,622.32 points. The rally was fueled by renewed demand for semiconductor stocks after Samsung Electronics projected record fourth-quarter operating profit, driven by booming demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence applications. Shares of Samsung jumped sharply, while rival SK Hynix also hit record levels on optimism surrounding its high-bandwidth memory business.
Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s stock market was steady as investors digested new trade data. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the country’s goods trade surplus narrowed to A$2.94 billion in November, below market expectations, as exports of iron ore and gold declined while imports remained firm. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 traded largely unchanged.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index was flat, while India’s Nifty 50 edged down 0.2%, reflecting cautious sentiment across Asian equity markets.
