Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Asian stocks climbed on Monday as investors assessed last week’s earnings from major tech firms that highlighted massive investments in artificial intelligence (AI), while the U.S. dollar held firm near a three-month high following hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.2% to 726.98, close to its 4.5-year peak, and is up over 27% this year—on track for its best annual performance since 2017. With Japan’s markets closed for a holiday and no U.S. Treasuries trading, overall activity was subdued during Asian hours.
Meanwhile, gold prices slipped 0.4% to $3,985.35 per ounce, extending losses from recent record highs. Oil prices rose as OPEC+ opted to delay production increases in early 2025, calming fears of an oversupply. Brent crude rose 0.49% to $65.10 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 0.61% to $61.33.
In the U.S., several Fed policymakers expressed unease over the recent rate cut, even as Governor Christopher Waller backed more easing to support the slowing labor market. Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled that another cut in December was “not a foregone conclusion,” surprising traders who had expected it. Markets now price a 68% chance of a December rate cut, down from near certainty before last week’s 25-basis-point reduction.
The dollar stayed strong, with the euro at $1.1524, sterling at $1.3134, and the yen near 154.18 per dollar. As the U.S. government shutdown drags on, data releases such as job openings and nonfarm payrolls will be delayed.
Investors remain focused on corporate earnings, especially from AI-driven tech companies like AMD, Qualcomm, and Palantir, whose results will shape sentiment for the sector’s growth potential.
