Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
Asian Stocks Rise as AI Chip Rally Lifts South Korea, Japan 
Gold Prices Rise as Fed Rate Hike Bets Ease 
Iran War Escalates as US, Houthis Target Ships Near Key Oil Routes 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
Oil Prices Slide as OPEC, IEA Cut 2026 Demand Forecasts 
US Dollar Holds Firm as Fed Outlook and Iran Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Singapore Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast as AI Demand Fuels Economy 
Australia Sets New Minimum Pay, Insurance Rules for Gig Workers 
England Drought Expands to 71% as Heatwave Deepens Water Crisis 
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New Zealand bonds closed lower on Tuesday as investors wait to watch the country’s employment report for the second quarter of this year, scheduled to be released today by 22:45GMT.
At the time of closing, the yield on the benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, jumped 3 basis points to 2.79 percent, the yield on the long-term 20-year note also surged 3 basis points to 3.09 percent while the yield on short-term 2-year closed 1-1/2 basis points to 1.84 percent.
On the geopolitical front, US president Trump signalled he is willing to meet Iranian president Rouhani with “no preconditions”, but North Korea is supposedly working on new missiles according to the Washington Post.
Asian markets may approach this morning’s trading with a cautious tone amid Wall Street’s retreat, the tech stock tumble, and oil’s climb past USD70 per barrel into the month-end.
Meanwhile, the NZX 50 index closed 0.37 percent higher at 8,933.89, while at 06:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly NZD Strength Index remained neutral at 5.64 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex
