South Korea Inflation Hits Five-Month Low as CPI Reaches Central Bank Target 
RBA Raises Interest Rates by 25 Basis Points as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Indian Rupee Strengthens Sharply After U.S.-India Trade Deal Announcement 
S&P 500 Rises as AI Stocks and Small Caps Rally on Strong Earnings Outlook 
Gold, Silver, and Platinum Rally as Precious Metals Recover from Sharp Selloff 
Taiwan Urges Stronger Trade Ties With Fellow Democracies, Rejects Economic Dependence on China 
Trump Announces U.S.–India Trade Deal Cutting Tariffs, Boosting Markets and Energy Ties 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Investors Eye Big Tech Earnings and AI Momentum 
Asian Currencies Strengthen as Indian Rupee and Australian Dollar Rally 
The U.S. dollar dipped slightly on Thursday following a trade agreement between the U.S. and Vietnam, boosting hopes for more deals ahead of the critical July 9 tariff deadline. Meanwhile, investors are turning their focus to June’s U.S. jobs report for signs of the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates.
The ADP private payrolls report released Wednesday showed a decline for the first time in over two years, prompting traders to adjust their rate cut expectations. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of a Fed rate cut in July rose to 25%, up from 20% the day before.
Sterling recovered modestly after a steep drop the previous session, as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer reaffirmed support for Finance Minister Rachel Reeves. The pound had fallen nearly 1% after concerns resurfaced over Britain’s fiscal outlook, following a parliamentary setback on welfare reforms.
In currency markets, the pound edged up to $1.3647, the euro held steady at $1.1806, and the yen firmed to 143.56 per dollar. The U.S. dollar index remained weak at 96.701, tracking a 0.5% weekly decline and hovering near 3.5-year lows.
President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new trade deal with Vietnam included a 20% tariff on Vietnamese goods and a steep 40% tariff on trans-shipments, sending a signal of global supply chain restructuring. Analysts warn of potential retaliation from China and further disruptions ahead.
Adding to fiscal concerns, the House Republicans are facing resistance on Trump’s massive tax-cut and spending bill, projected to add $3.3 trillion to the national debt. Global bond markets are increasingly jittery as government deficits rise in the U.S. and beyond.
