Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
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Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
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US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
AI Chip Stocks Face Valuation Pressure as Investors Shift Toward Big Tech and Software 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Gold prices remained steady on Monday, hovering near recent record highs as safe-haven demand surged due to concerns over a U.S. economic slowdown and escalating trade tensions. Spot gold edged up 0.1% to $2,940.18 an ounce, while April gold futures held at $2,952.97 an ounce.
Last week, the precious metal hit an all-time high of $2,954.97 an ounce, driven by market uncertainty following weak U.S. economic data and President Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats. Sluggish services PMI and consumer sentiment reports raised fears of slowing private spending, adding to worries sparked by lower-than-expected January retail sales.
A weakening U.S. dollar further supported gold’s rally. The dollar index slipped 0.3% to a 2.5-month low, while Treasury yields declined, fueling expectations of more interest rate cuts. This also impacted other metals, with platinum futures rising 0.6% to $994.0 an ounce, while silver remained flat at $32.998 an ounce.
Industrial metals saw mixed movement. London Metal Exchange copper futures fell 0.2% to $9,535.95 per ton, while March copper futures steadied at $4.6170 per pound. Copper has surged in recent weeks, supported by optimism over China’s economic outlook.
With ongoing inflation concerns, trade policy uncertainty, and economic headwinds, investors continue to seek gold as a hedge against volatility, keeping the metal near its historic highs.
