Japan’s Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Exports Hit Record High in 2025 Despite Tariffs 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
China and Uruguay Strengthen Strategic Partnership Amid Shifting Global Order 
Trump Announces U.S.–India Trade Deal Cutting Tariffs, Boosting Markets and Energy Ties 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
RBA Raises Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Asian Currencies Strengthen as Indian Rupee and Australian Dollar Rally 
S&P 500 Rises as AI Stocks and Small Caps Rally on Strong Earnings Outlook 
Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength Caps Gains 
Japan Finance Minister Defends PM Takaichi’s Remarks on Weak Yen Benefits 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Asian stocks ticked up on Thursday, lifted by optimism over Nvidia’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) brief surge to a $4 trillion market cap and expectations of U.S. interest rate cuts later this year. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) rose 0.2%, as investors shrugged off U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats targeting copper imports and several countries, including Brazil and Japan.
Despite Trump's announcement of a 50% copper tariff starting August 1 and a similar threat against Brazil, market reaction was muted. Japan’s Nikkei slipped 0.56%, while China’s CSI300 gained 0.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged up 0.1%. U.S. futures dipped slightly in Asian trade, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures down 0.2%.
Nvidia's valuation milestone reinforced strong investor sentiment toward AI stocks. Meanwhile, Fed minutes released Wednesday showed most policymakers anticipate rate cuts later this year, suggesting any inflation shock from tariffs will likely be temporary. This buoyed risk appetite as investors bet on looser monetary policy.
The U.S. dollar weakened against major currencies, falling 0.4% versus the yen to 145.79, while the euro rose to $1.1742 and the pound to $1.3605. The Brazilian real neared a one-month low at 5.5826 per dollar following tariff threats.
Bitcoin hovered near its all-time high at $111,234.63, with ether up 1.3% to $2,775.54. OKX Singapore’s CEO noted investors are focusing on digital assets with real-world utility, with Bitcoin remaining the top choice.
In commodities, Brent crude dipped 0.16% to $70.08, U.S. crude fell 0.22% to $68.23, and spot gold rose 0.3% to $3,322.69, reflecting cautious optimism across global markets.
