Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Philippine Economy Slows in Late 2025, Raising Expectations of Further Rate Cuts 
Oil Prices Hit Four-Month High as Geopolitical Risks and Supply Disruptions Intensify 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Gold Prices Hit Record High Above $5,500 as Iran Strike Fears Fuel Safe-Haven Demand 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Rebounds Ahead of Fed Rate Decision 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Starmer’s China Visit Signals New Era in UK–China Economic Relations 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
UK Vehicle Production Falls Sharply in 2025 Amid Cyberattack, Tariffs, and Industry Restructuring 
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on Canadian Aircraft Amid Escalating U.S.-Canada Trade Dispute 
Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
U.S. and El Salvador Sign Landmark Critical Minerals Agreement to Boost Investment and Trade 
Trump to Announce New Federal Reserve Chair Pick as Powell Replacement Looms 
Asian markets were mostly subdued on Tuesday as investors assessed the fragile U.S.-China trade truce and growing concerns over renewed technology tensions. South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, retreating sharply after a record-setting rally, while investors in Australia awaited the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) latest interest rate decision.
On Wall Street, stocks ended mixed overnight, supported by gains in the tech sector following a $38 billion cloud partnership between Amazon and OpenAI. However, U.S. stock futures slipped slightly during Asian trading hours, signaling investor caution amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
Tensions resurfaced after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Nvidia’s next-generation Blackwell AI chips would be reserved for domestic use, effectively restricting exports to China. In a “60 Minutes” interview, Trump emphasized that these advanced chips would “stay in the U.S.,” highlighting the persistence of tech export curbs even after the recently agreed one-year trade truce. The move raised fresh concerns over potential supply-chain disruptions and the impact on China’s technology sector.
Following the Trump-Xi summit in South Korea, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng urged Washington to respect Beijing’s “red lines,” stressing that while the truce has “recalibrated” relations, tensions could easily reignite if issues such as Taiwan and human rights are challenged.
In regional markets, China’s CSI 300 slipped 0.5%, while the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.3%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was flat, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 was little changed after a holiday, though the TOPIX rose 0.4%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged down 0.2%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures also moved slightly lower.
Attention turned to the RBA, which was widely expected to keep rates unchanged at 3.60% amid sticky inflation. Investors are watching closely for signals on potential rate cuts in 2026 as global economic uncertainty lingers.
