Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
Most Asian stock markets advanced Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates and signaled further easing, boosting investor sentiment across the region.
The Fed reduced its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 4.00–4.25%, its first cut since December, and projected two more reductions this year. Chair Jerome Powell said the move was aimed at “managing risks” amid signs of a softer U.S. labor market. Traders raised bets that U.S. rates could fall below 3.5% by 2026, fueling global risk appetite.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 1.2% to a record 45,296.21, supported by technology and energy shares, while the broader TOPIX rose 0.6%. A weaker yen also lifted exporter stocks. South Korea’s KOSPI gained 1%, led by chip giants SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, amid renewed AI optimism.
In China, the Shanghai Composite advanced 0.5% to a decade-high, while the CSI 300 added 0.3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was flat after sharp gains earlier in the week. Reports that Beijing directed domestic firms to halt Nvidia AI chip purchases weighed on sentiment.
Elsewhere, Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged up 0.2%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures rose 0.2% ahead of market open.
Bucking the regional trend, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7%, dragged by steep losses in the mining sector. Data showed employment fell by 5,400 in August, with a sharp drop in full-time jobs, reinforcing expectations of further Reserve Bank of Australia rate cuts.
New Zealand’s NZX 50 slipped nearly 1% after GDP shrank 0.9% in Q2, far worse than forecasts. Annual GDP contracted 0.6%, increasing pressure on the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to accelerate easing.
