South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Gold Prices Head for Biggest Weekly Loss Since June as Fed Rate Outlook Weighs 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Malaysia Q2 Economy Grows 5.8%, Beating Forecasts on Strong Tech Exports and Domestic Demand 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
Japanese government bonds remained range-bound Thursday as investors remained side-lined in a muted trading week ahead of the country’s first quarter 2018 gross domestic product (GDP) data, scheduled to be released today by 23:50GMT which shall add further direction to the debt market.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year JGB note, which moves inversely to its price, hovered around 0.05 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year note slid 1/2 basis point to 0.72 percent and the yield on short-term 2-year remained flat at -0.12 percent by 05:20GMT.
U.S. Treasury yields rose on Wednesday with the 10-year yield hitting a 1-1/2 week high on worries that the European Central Bank would end the expansion of its massive bond purchase program later this year.
Political turmoil in Italy and Spain in recent days has spurred speculation ECB policy-makers may back away from winding down their EUR2.55 trillion (USD3 trillion) program in September.
Meanwhile, the Nikkei 225 index rose 0.91 percent to 22,831.50 by 05:30 GMT, while at 05:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly JPY Strength Index remained highly bearish at -176.29 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex
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