Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Asian Stocks Rally as Tech Rebounds, China Lags on Nvidia Competition Concerns 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Asian markets fell Monday, mirroring Wall Street’s decline, as concerns over the U.S. economy intensified following a weaker-than-expected July jobs report. Investors now see a 90% chance of a September Federal Reserve rate cut, up from 40% before the data release. U.S. payroll revisions showed 290,000 fewer jobs than previously thought, with the three-month average dropping to just 35,000 from 231,000 earlier this year.
Goldman Sachs analysts noted the data signals below-potential U.S. growth. Market sentiment was further shaken by President Donald Trump’s firing of the Labor Statistics chief, raising fears over the credibility of economic data and the politicization of Fed policy. Trump will soon appoint a new Fed governor, expected to support lower interest rates.
Rate cut expectations drove U.S. two-year Treasury yields down to 3.661%, after Friday’s 25-basis-point plunge — the largest since August 2024. Futures now imply 65 basis points of easing by year-end. The dollar weakened, falling to 147.24 yen and $1.1585 per euro, as the dollar index dropped to 98.659 from last week’s 100.250 peak. Sterling traded at $1.3287 ahead of the Bank of England’s expected quarter-point cut Thursday.
In equities, S&P 500 futures edged up 0.1% and Nasdaq futures 0.2%, supported by strong earnings season results, with 63% of S&P 500 firms beating forecasts. Still, Asia lagged, with Japan’s Nikkei down 2.1% and South Korea’s KOSPI off 0.2%, while MSCI’s Asia-Pacific ex-Japan index rose 0.3%.
Commodity markets saw gold steady at $3,361 an ounce after a 2% jump Friday. Oil extended losses as OPEC+ approved a major September output hike, reversing last year’s 2.2 million bpd cuts. Brent fell 0.6% to $69.24 and U.S. crude slipped 0.6% to $66.93.
