UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Gold prices edged higher in Asian trading on Monday but continued to face headwinds after two consecutive weekly losses. The precious metal remains pressured by uncertainty over future U.S. interest rate cuts and easing geopolitical risks, which have curbed safe-haven demand.
Spot gold climbed 0.4% to $4,017.13 an ounce at 01:19 ET (06:19 GMT), while U.S. gold futures advanced 0.8% to $4,027.55. Despite a 2% decline last week — its second straight weekly drop — gold still managed nearly 4% in monthly gains for October, supported by earlier demand for safety amid market volatility.
The Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates by 25 basis points last week initially buoyed gold prices, as lower interest rates typically benefit non-yielding assets. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s cautious comments — stating that more rate cuts were “not a foregone conclusion” — dampened market optimism. His stance, echoed by other Fed officials, led investors to scale back expectations for another rate reduction in December. This shift strengthened the U.S. dollar, which hovered near three-month highs, making gold more expensive for foreign buyers.
Adding to gold’s weakness, U.S.-China trade tensions eased after Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met in Busan and pledged to reduce trade barriers. The talks included potential U.S. tariff reductions and increased Chinese imports of American goods, calming global markets and lowering demand for gold as a hedge.
Other precious metals outperformed gold. Silver futures rose 1.1% to $48.705 per ounce, and platinum jumped 1.8% to $1,603.60 per ounce. Meanwhile, copper prices were muted as China’s manufacturing sector showed slower-than-expected growth in October, highlighting ongoing challenges in the world’s second-largest economy.
