China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
US Dollar Hits One-Year High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Overshadows Middle East Developments 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Japan, U.S. Discuss Yen Weakness as Currency Intervention Concerns Grow 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian stocks mostly climbed Thursday, tracking Wall Street’s rally after the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged and made no major policy shifts. However, Chinese markets lagged due to profit-taking following a strong rally.
Markets reacted positively to the Fed’s decision, with U.S. stock futures rising in Asian trade. Investors were relieved that the central bank did not take drastic action despite concerns over a global economic slowdown and trade tensions. However, the Fed trimmed its annual growth forecast and warned of rising inflation.
In Asia, trading volumes were limited due to a Japanese holiday, with Nikkei 225 Futures slipping 0.1%. Australia’s ASX 200 gained 1.1%, rebounding from a seven-month low. Weaker-than-expected employment data fueled speculation of another rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia, as the central bank remains focused on inflation and labor market trends.
Broader Asian markets followed Wall Street’s lead, supported by optimism over potential Chinese stimulus. South Korea’s KOSPI rose 0.5%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.7%. India’s Nifty 50 futures signaled a positive open, extending gains from a recent nine-month low.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropped 1.1%, retreating from a three-year high. Tech and internet stocks led losses as investors took profits after a strong rally driven by optimism over China’s AI sector and stimulus hopes. Despite Thursday’s dip, the Hang Seng remains up nearly 25% in 2025.
China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite fell 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively, as traders awaited further fiscal measures from Beijing. The People’s Bank of China, as expected, kept its benchmark loan prime rate unchanged.
