Asian Currencies Trade Flat as Dollar Weakens in Thin New Year Trading 
Oil Prices Stabilize at Start of 2026 as OPEC+ Policy and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers 
Singapore GDP Growth Surges in 2025 but Outlook Remains Cautious Amid Global Trade Risks 
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 
U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady as Markets Await Fed Policy Clues in Holiday-Thinned Trade 
Gold Prices Rebound in Europe as Geopolitical Tensions and Fed Outlook Support Bullion 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech and Financial Stocks Weigh on Markets Amid Thin Holiday Trading 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
South Korean Won Slides Despite Government Efforts to Stabilize Currency Markets 
Asia Manufacturing PMI Rebounds as Exports and Tech Demand Drive Growth into 2026 
Asian Stock Markets Start New Year Higher as Tech and AI Shares Drive Gains 
Forex Markets Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Minutes Amid Thin Year-End Volumes 
U.S. Dollar Starts 2026 Weak as Yen, Euro and Sterling Hold Firm Amid Rate Cut Expectations 
South Korea Inflation Rises to 2.3% in December, Matching Market Expectations 
Australia's employment data for November 2024 shows a strong performance in the job market, with several important highlights:
Job Creation: In November, 35,600 more people found jobs, which is a big increase compared to only 12,100 jobs added in October and higher than the expected 25,000 new jobs. This brings the total number of employed Australians to about 14.54 million people .
Unemployment Rate: The unemployment rate dropped to 3.9%, down from 4.1% in October. This was lower than the expected increase to 4.2% and marks the lowest rate since March 2024.
Participation Rate: The percentage of people in the labor force went down slightly to 67.0%, from 67.1% in the previous month
Full-Time vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time jobs increased by 52,600, while part-time jobs decreased by 17,000 compared to October
These positive employment figures have led to the Australian Dollar strengthening against the US Dollar, which suggests that the strong job performance may impact future decisions on interest rates by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) 24.
