Singapore Growth Outlook Brightens for 2025 as Economists Flag AI and Geopolitical Risks 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
RBA Unlikely to Cut Interest Rates in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist, Says Westpac 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
This week is filled with risk heavy data and events.
What to watch for over the coming days:
- Central Banks:
The bank of Japan (BoJ) will announce interest rate decision on Thursday. The European Central Bank (ECB) will also announce interest rate decision on Thursday.
- Key economic data:
Consumer price inflation numbers will be released from Australia on Wednesday. Flash April inflation numbers will be released from Germany on Thursday. Consumer price inflation numbers from Japan will also be released on Thursday. The first quarter flash GDP number will be released on Friday.
- US earnings:
194 companies from the S&P 500 are scheduled to report first-quarter earnings this week. Big names include Hasbro, McDonald’s, Baker Hughes, Chipotle, Lockheed Martin, Amazon, Microsoft, and Twitter.
- Trump:
The US President Donald Trump has promised last week that in this week he has an important announcement to make with regard to tax reforms. The announcement is likely to come on Wednesday.
Along with the above fundamentals, unscheduled Brexit commentaries, happenings in Korean peninsula are likely to keep influencing the market.
