Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
Japan’s Nikkei Drops as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
Asian Markets Mixed as RBI Cuts Rates and BOJ Signals Possible Hike 
Dollar Weakens Ahead of Expected Federal Reserve Rate Cut 
BOJ Faces Pressure for Clarity, but Neutral Rate Estimates Likely to Stay Vague 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut 
Oil Prices Rise as Ukraine Targets Russian Energy Infrastructure 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
European Oil & Gas Stocks Face 2026 With Cautious Outlook Amid Valuation Pressure 
Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
Asian Currencies Edge Higher as Markets Look to Fed Rate Cut; Rupee Steadies Near Record Lows 
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets 
Germany’s private-sector momentum swung back into positive territory in June, signaling the first uptick since April and fueling hopes that Europe’s largest economy can dodge a third consecutive year of contraction. The flash HCOB composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) from S&P Global climbed to 50.4, up sharply from May’s 48.5 and beating the Reuters consensus of 49.0. Crossing the 50-point threshold marks a return to growth for German business activity.
Factories powered the revival. The manufacturing PMI rose to 49.0 from 48.3, the highest reading since early 2023, as new orders posted their strongest expansion in more than three years. Hamburg Commercial Bank chief economist Cyrus de la Rubia noted the data “suggest Germany’s industrial engine is finally restarting,” offering a welcome boost after two straight annual GDP declines.
The services sector, while still below break-even, delivered an encouraging improvement: its index jumped to 49.4 from 47.1, comfortably ahead of forecasts for 47.5. Together, the manufacturing and services industries account for over two-thirds of German output, so even modest gains can ripple through the broader euro-zone economy.
Survey responses collected between 12 and 19 June follow recent upgrades by four leading German economic institutes, which now predict growth in 2025. Challenges such as elevated energy costs and fragile global demand persist, yet June’s PMI figures hint that Germany may be turning the corner sooner than feared.
Whether these green shoots translate into hard-data GDP growth will become clearer with upcoming official estimates, but today’s numbers offer businesses, investors, and policymakers a cautiously optimistic signal heading into the second half of 2025.
