US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Asian stock markets retreated on Wednesday as investors turned cautious ahead of a closely watched U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision. Markets across the region tracked mild overnight losses on Wall Street, where major U.S. indexes dipped on uncertainty over the Fed’s forward guidance. While the central bank is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points, analysts warned that policymakers may still signal a more hawkish stance, dampening risk appetite. S&P 500 futures also edged lower in early Asian trading.
Chinese equities led regional declines as persistent deflationary pressures continued to weigh on sentiment. The Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 slipped 0.9%, the Shanghai Composite dropped 0.7%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.4%. Fresh government data showed that although China’s consumer price index rose year-on-year in November, it unexpectedly contracted from the previous month. Producer prices fell for a 38th straight month, underscoring weak domestic demand and raising fresh concerns about China’s growth outlook heading into 2026.
Beijing’s Politburo pledged additional fiscal stimulus in the coming months, but the announcement offered little immediate support. Chinese chipmakers also faced renewed pressure after U.S. President Donald Trump stated he would allow NVIDIA to sell more advanced AI chips in China, intensifying uncertainty across the sector.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.3%, while the TOPIX eased 0.2% as stubborn producer price inflation fueled speculation that the Bank of Japan may soon raise interest rates. Analysts expect rate discussions to intensify ahead of the BOJ’s late-December meeting. Ongoing geopolitical tensions between Japan and China over Taiwan further dampened market sentiment.
Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s ASX 200 extended losses following a hawkish signal from the Reserve Bank. Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged down 0.2%, South Korea’s KOSPI traded flat, and India’s Nifty 50 futures slipped after airline giant IndiGo suffered nearly 8% in declines amid an operational crisis.
