China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Middle East Tensions 
RBA Raises Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rate at 2.25% Amid Trade and Global Uncertainty 
Bank of Japan Signals Cautious Path Toward Further Rate Hikes Amid Yen Weakness 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Markets Brace for Jobs and Inflation Data 
The Bank of Korea (BoK) is expected to remain on hold at the monetary policy meeting scheduled to be held next week, with headline inflation making a gradual and slow rise. Also, consumer prices in the country are expected to reach the central bank’s target band in the next year.
The BoK will likely leave its 7-day repo rate unchanged at 1.25 percent on Thursday December 15, at 9:00 SGT. With headline inflation slowly rising, 2017 average inflation is expected to reach the BoK’s lower limit of its 1.5-2.5 percent target range, ANZ reported.
Also, the National Assembly has voted in favor of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment today, adding political uncertainty in the economy, which shall aloof any such policy changes for the time being.
Meanwhile, China’s various activity indicators are likely to have been stable in November, while monetary indicators should be consistent with the government’s policy of gradual deleveraging.
