Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Eases Supply Concerns 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Asian share markets moved higher at the start of the week, following strong tech-led gains on Wall Street, while the Japanese yen continued to weaken sharply against major currencies despite a significant interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan. Trading volumes remained light due to a holiday-shortened global schedule, but investor sentiment leaned positive as markets looked ahead to key U.S. economic data.
Futures for major U.S. indices pointed upward, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures extending gains, reflecting ongoing optimism around technology stocks. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei jumped around 1.5%, benefiting from the yen’s steep decline, which tends to support export-heavy Japanese companies by improving overseas earnings. Broader regional markets also advanced, with MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan posting moderate gains, while South Korean stocks outperformed on expectations of strong AI-related earnings.
Attention remains focused on delayed U.S. GDP data, which is expected to show solid third-quarter growth of around 3.2% on an annualized basis. However, some caution is emerging. Analysts have warned that investor sentiment has reached extremely bullish levels, historically associated with short-term market pullbacks. Recent fund flow data showed record inflows into global equity markets, particularly U.S. stocks, while bond inflows continued to slow, highlighting a strong risk-on bias among investors.
In currency markets, the yen hit record lows against the euro and Swiss franc, even after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates to their highest level in three decades. The move triggered selling pressure in Japanese government bonds, pushing 10-year yields to levels not seen since the late 1990s. The dollar also remained firm against the yen, keeping markets on alert for potential intervention by Japanese authorities.
Commodities saw notable moves as well. Silver surged to a fresh all-time high, extending its remarkable gains for the year, while gold edged higher amid ongoing market uncertainty. Oil prices climbed after reports of U.S. actions against Venezuelan oil shipments, adding supply concerns to the market. Overall, global markets remain buoyant, though elevated valuations and extreme optimism are beginning to test investor confidence.
