U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Dollar Struggles as Markets Eye Key Central Bank Decisions and Global Rate Outlooks 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Asian Stocks Rally as Tech Rebounds, China Lags on Nvidia Competition Concerns 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Most Asian stocks retreated on Friday amid profit-taking in the technology sector, while South Korea’s benchmark surged to new highs following a week-long holiday. The regional downturn mirrored Wall Street’s overnight pullback, as the tech rally paused and the U.S. government shutdown delayed key economic data.
S&P 500 futures gained 0.2% in Asian trading, supported by persistent expectations of an October rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Optimism over a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas also buoyed sentiment.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 dropped 1% and the broader TOPIX index slid 1.7%, both retreating from record levels. Tech giant SoftBank Group (TYO:9984) led losses with a 3.4% drop, following a stronger-than-expected producer price inflation reading for September. The data raised concerns that the Bank of Japan may hike rates sooner, despite likely political resistance from the incoming Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known for her dovish fiscal stance. Japanese markets had rallied earlier in the week on her election as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s new leader.
Chinese stocks also slipped, with the CSI 300 down 0.5% and the Shanghai Composite off 0.2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index fell nearly 1%, dragged by losses in tech and biotech shares. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (HK:0981) tumbled 5.2%, while WuXi AppTec (HK:2359) and WuXi Biologics (HK:2269) dropped up to 3% after U.S. lawmakers advanced a bill restricting investments in Chinese biotech firms.
Elsewhere, Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.2%, while Australia’s ASX 200 remained flat. India’s Nifty 50 futures rose 0.2% ahead of key tech earnings.
South Korea’s KOSPI was the standout performer, rallying 1.5% to a record 3,617.86. The surge came as chipmakers SK Hynix (KS:000660) and Samsung Electronics (KS:005930) soared 6.6% and 5.1%, respectively, on optimism over new processor supply deals with OpenAI, signaling robust growth prospects for the semiconductor sector.
