EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Gold and Asian Stocks Rebound as Market Volatility Eases and Global Sentiment Improves 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Oil Prices Steady as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength Caps Gains 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Trump Announces U.S.–India Trade Deal Cutting Tariffs, Boosting Markets and Energy Ties 
Asian stocks eased on Friday, retreating from record highs as investors booked profits ahead of a critical week marked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline and key central bank meetings. The dollar strengthened against the yen after rebounding from a two-week low, supported by firm U.S. economic data, while Japan’s currency weakened amid political uncertainty following reports Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba may resign.
Japan’s Topix index, which surged over 5% in the previous two sessions to a record high, slipped 0.7%, while the Nikkei fell 0.5% from a one-year high. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 0.5%, mainland Chinese blue chips slid 0.2%, and Australia’s benchmark declined 0.5%. In contrast, U.S. S&P 500 futures rose 0.2%, buoyed by strong Alphabet earnings, with the Nasdaq also hitting a record close.
Global markets remain cautious ahead of multiple events: Trump’s August 1 trade deadline, the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting, key payroll data, and earnings reports from tech giants Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. The Bank of Japan will announce its policy on Thursday, coinciding with a key Liberal Democratic Party meeting following Ishiba’s coalition loss in recent elections.
The euro traded near $1.1743, down 0.2% against the dollar, while the U.S. currency advanced 0.3% to 147.37 yen. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields eased to 4.39%, while Japanese government bond yields hovered near 1.6%, their highest since 2008.
Gold prices held steady at $3,368 per ounce, poised for a weekly gain, while Brent crude rose 0.3% to $69.35 and U.S. WTI gained 0.2% to $66.18 per barrel.
