Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
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Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
The U.S. dollar held firm early Thursday after a sharp plunge to a 3-1/2-year low and swift rebound, as traders digested the Federal Reserve’s cautious outlook on interest rates. The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday as expected, signaling more gradual easing ahead.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell described the move as a “risk-management” step tied to labor market weakness, while stressing there is no need to rush rate cuts. The central bank’s dot plot pointed to another 50 basis points of cuts this year, but only one reduction in 2026, highlighting ongoing uncertainty about inflation risks.
The dollar index tumbled to 96.224, its weakest since February 2022, before bouncing back to 97.074, up 0.44% on the day. The euro was steady at $1.1818 after spiking to a 27-month high of $1.19185. Sterling traded flat at $1.3626, easing from Wednesday’s peak of $1.3726.
Markets now await the Bank of England’s decision later Thursday, with policymakers expected to hold rates at 4%. U.K. inflation rose 3.8% annually in August, matching forecasts and reducing the likelihood of near-term cuts.
Against the yen, the dollar slipped 0.08% to 146.815 after briefly falling to 145.495, its weakest since July. The Bank of Japan is expected to hold rates Friday, though markets assign 50% odds of a hike by year-end. Political focus remains on Japan’s October 4 leadership vote after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation.
Elsewhere, New Zealand’s dollar slid 0.49% to $0.5935 after GDP contracted more than expected, while the Australian dollar was steady at $0.6655 ahead of jobs data. The Canadian dollar held at C$1.3772 after the Bank of Canada cut rates to a three-year low, citing weak employment and easing inflation pressures.
