Global Currencies Steady Ahead of Key Central Bank Decisions 
ECB Signals Steady Rates Ahead as Policymakers Warn of Inflation Risks 
Australia’s Business Conditions Ease in November as Capacity Constraints Persist 
Gold Prices Inch Higher as Fed Rate-Cut Expectations Strengthen 
Australian Dollar Rises as RBA Holds Rates and Signals Persistent Inflation Risks 
Silver Prices Surge to New Record Above $60 as Supply Concerns and Fed Expectations Boost Demand 
Canada Stocks Steady as Markets Await Fed and BoC Decisions 
Stocks Slip as Investors Brace for Fed Decision and JPMorgan Warning Weighs on Markets 
Japan’s Q3 Economic Contraction Deepens as Revised Data Signals Stronger Headwinds 
U.S.-Indonesia Trade Deal Faces Uncertainty as Jakarta Reconsiders Key Commitments 
ADB Approves $400 Million Loan to Boost Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines 
Asian Markets Slip as Investors Brace for Fed Rate Cut and Global Policy Decisions 
Holiday Economic Questions: What Bank of America Says You Should Expect 
Global Forex Markets Brace for Fed Decision as Yen Extends Weakness 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Decision; Aussie Dollar Edges Higher 
RBA Holds Rates but Warns of Rising Inflation Pressures 
Oil Prices Hold Near Two-Week Highs as Markets Await Fed Rate Cut and Monitor Geopolitical Risks 
Gold prices held steady during Asian trading on Wednesday, maintaining a positive tone ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s widely anticipated interest rate cut. Both spot gold and gold futures saw mild gains, with spot prices edging up 0.1% to $4,211.24 per ounce and March futures rising 0.1% to $4,239.60 by early morning ET. Traders remained cautious, however, as markets awaited the Fed’s economic outlook, with some analysts warning that policymakers could adopt a more hawkish tone despite expectations for a 25-basis-point cut.
Silver continued to dominate market sentiment after soaring to a record high above $62 an ounce. Spot silver touched $62.018/oz, extending a rally that has already pushed prices up more than 100% in 2025. Growing concerns over tightening supplies and rising industrial demand have fueled speculative interest in the metal. Silver’s designation as a U.S. critical mineral further boosted its appeal, as Washington aims to secure stable supply chains due to its essential role in electronics and other industrial applications. Many traders are also turning to silver as a lower-cost safe-haven alternative to gold amid global economic uncertainty.
Other metals advanced as well, supported by a weakening U.S. dollar ahead of the Fed decision. Platinum briefly reached a two-week high near $1,700 per ounce, while copper futures on the London Metal Exchange climbed 0.9% to $11,576.95 per ton. Expectations of lower U.S. interest rates have enhanced the attractiveness of non-yielding assets like precious metals, though sentiment remains sensitive to inflation trends and future policy signals.
Markets also monitored developments surrounding the next Federal Reserve Chair, with reports indicating that President Donald Trump is conducting final interviews for candidates to replace Jerome Powell when his term ends in May 2026.
