Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Russian Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
France Faces Long Road to Economic Rebalancing as Weak Demand and High Rates Weigh, Says Citi 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Supply Concerns 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Dollar Holds Firm as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Tensions, GBP/USD Slips Amid UK Political Uncertainty 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
US Stock Futures Recover as Iran Signals Progress in Peace Talks 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Asian markets pulled back on Thursday following a strong tech-led rally earlier in the week, with investors shifting focus to key earnings from Chinese internet giant Alibaba and upcoming remarks from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Sentiment was also weighed by tempered optimism over a U.S.-China trade deal, as tariffs between the two nations remain high and progress toward further de-escalation remains uncertain.
In Asian trading, S&P 500 futures dipped 0.1%, reflecting the tepid cues from a mixed Wall Street session where momentum outside tech waned. Tech-heavy Asian indexes, which previously surged on AI-driven optimism and improving trade relations, saw a modest correction. South Korea’s KOSPI slipped 0.1%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng traded flat.
Alibaba shares (HK:9988) edged up 0.5% ahead of its March-quarter earnings, with expectations boosted by rising Chinese consumer spending and growth in its cloud business. Peer Tencent (HK:0700) also gained 0.5% after posting a 13% revenue increase, driven by robust demand in its gaming and advertising segments, aided by AI integration.
However, sentiment on AI stocks cooled slightly after Nvidia-backed Coreweave warned of margin pressures due to rising AI-related costs, sending its shares down 15% in after-hours trading.
Mainland China’s CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indices fell 0.2% to 0.5%, though they remain up nearly 2% for the week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.1% as investors turned cautious ahead of GDP data expected to show a Q1 contraction, despite strong capital expenditure and wage growth trends.
Australia’s ASX 200 rose 0.1% after a strong jobs report, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index climbed 0.4%. India’s Gift Nifty 50 Futures fell 0.2%, pointing to a subdued open despite earlier gains fueled by easing geopolitical tensions.
