Asian Markets Stabilize as Wall Street Rebounds and Rate Concerns Ease 
European Oil & Gas Stocks Face 2026 With Cautious Outlook Amid Valuation Pressure 
RBI Cuts Repo Rate to 5.25% as Inflation Cools and Growth Outlook Strengthens 
European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
BOJ Faces Pressure for Clarity, but Neutral Rate Estimates Likely to Stay Vague 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut 
Australia’s Economic Growth Slows in Q3 Despite Strong Investment Activity 
Dollar Weakens Ahead of Expected Federal Reserve Rate Cut 
Japan’s Nikkei Drops as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Europe Confronts Rising Competitive Pressure as China Accelerates Export-Led Growth 
U.S. Futures Steady as Rate-Cut Bets Rise on Soft Labor Data 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
Asia’s IPO Market Set for Strong Growth as China and India Drive Investor Diversification 
The U.S. dollar fell to its lowest level in nearly seven weeks on Tuesday, pressured by concerns that upcoming labor market revisions could expose deeper cracks in the economy. The dollar index slipped to 97.344 in Asia trade, the weakest since July 24, ahead of the release of preliminary benchmark revisions for jobs data covering April 2024 to March 2025. Economists expect as many as 800,000 jobs to be revised lower, potentially signaling that the Federal Reserve is lagging in its push for maximum employment.
“The employment numbers are getting worse at a heavy rate,” said Alex Hill, managing director at Electus Financial. “That’s translating into a weaker U.S. dollar slowly, but we expect that to accelerate.”
Adding to the pressure, reports suggest Trump administration advisors are preparing a critique of the Bureau of Labor Statistics after President Donald Trump dismissed BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer last month, accusing her of falsifying data. Investors warn political interference in monetary policy and rising fiscal risks are weighing on long-term U.S. bond sentiment.
Markets are now pricing an 89.4% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the Fed’s September meeting, with a 10.6% chance of a larger 50 basis point cut, according to CME FedWatch data. Gold remained near record highs at $3,636.58, while the euro rose 0.1% to $1.1774, supported despite political turmoil in France after parliament ousted the government.
Elsewhere, the yen strengthened to 147.22 per dollar following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation, the Australian dollar traded at $0.6598, the New Zealand dollar at $0.5943, sterling at $1.3556, and China’s offshore yuan held steady at 7.1212. The European Central Bank is expected to keep rates unchanged at Thursday’s meeting.
