Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Gold prices edged lower in Asian trading, easing after two consecutive days of gains as traders reduced expectations for a potential Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December. The pullback came as global equity markets rebounded sharply, driven in part by stronger-than-expected earnings from Nvidia, softening investor appetite for safe-haven assets such as gold.
Spot gold slipped 0.2% to $4,070.27 per ounce, while December gold futures fell 0.3% to $4,069.09 by 00:15 ET (05:15 GMT). The metal’s recent rally briefly paused after climbing more than 1% over the previous two sessions, weighed down by uncertainty surrounding the Fed’s next move. Minutes from the Fed’s October meeting showed policymakers were increasingly divided on whether further rate cuts were warranted, cooling market sentiment.
Rate-cut expectations dropped noticeably, with traders now assigning only a 21.5% probability of a 25-basis-point cut at the Fed’s December 10–11 meeting—down sharply from 42.4% just a day earlier, according to CME FedWatch. The prolonged U.S. government shutdown continues to delay delivery of key economic data, leaving the central bank with limited visibility and increasing the likelihood of a cautious pause.
Higher U.S. interest rates generally pressure non-yielding assets like gold, although ongoing concerns about excessive government spending in major economies and rising Japanese bond yields provided some underlying support. Heightening diplomatic tensions between China and Japan also helped sustain haven demand.
Other precious metals saw modest improvement, with spot platinum rising 0.8% to $1,560.13 per ounce, while silver held steady at $51.3415.
Investor focus now turns to the delayed U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for September, expected to offer clearer insight into the slowing labor market. Although the data is unlikely to directly influence December’s policy decision, recent private-sector reports and jobless claims point to steady softening. Still, persistent inflation may keep the Fed from easing aggressively, even if labor conditions continue to weaken.
