Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Asian Stocks Mixed as U.S. Treasury Yields Rise
Asian stocks performed mixed on Wednesday, as rising U.S. Treasury yields and uncertainty around the upcoming U.S. presidential election kept investors cautious. Most regional markets followed a flat lead from Wall Street, which saw mixed corporate earnings and subdued optimism.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Surges on IPO Strength
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index led the region, rising 1.7%. The market was buoyed by a strong debut from China Resources Beverage, which saw its shares soar by 14%. The company raised $540 million in its IPO, marking Hong Kong’s second-largest IPO of the year. This followed Horizon Robotics, which raised $696 million earlier in the week, fueling optimism about a recovery in Hong Kong's IPO market after a prolonged slump.
Chinese Markets Extend Gains on Stimulus Measures
China’s Shanghai Composite and CSI 300 indexes rose 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively, as Beijing's recent stimulus measures boosted investor sentiment. A surprise interest rate cut from the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) on Monday and expectations of further liquidity injections helped support Chinese stocks.
Other Asian Markets Struggle for Direction
Elsewhere, Japan's Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indices remained flat amid anticipation of a general election and an upcoming Bank of Japan meeting. Australia’s ASX 200 and South Korea's KOSPI also saw minimal movement, while India's Nifty 50 futures pointed to a weak open due to profit-taking and capital outflows.
