Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Micron Earnings Boost AI Sentiment Ahead of CPI Data 
Precious Metals Rally as Silver and Platinum Outperform on Rate Cut Bets 
Austan Goolsbee Signals Potential for More Fed Rate Cuts as Inflation Shows Improvement 
New Zealand Business Confidence Hits 30-Year High as Economic Outlook Improves 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Near October Lows as Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Spending Fears and Global Central Bank Decisions Weigh on Markets 
Singapore Growth Outlook Brightens for 2025 as Economists Flag AI and Geopolitical Risks 
Japan Exports to U.S. Rebound in November as Tariff Impact Eases, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Expectations 
EU Delays Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signing Amid Ukraine War Funding Talks 
Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes 
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers 
Oil Prices Steady in Asia but Headed for Weekly Loss on Supply Glut Concerns 
Japan Inflation Holds Firm in November as BOJ Nears Key Rate Hike Decision 
Asian Fund Managers Turn More Optimistic on Growth but Curb Equity Return Expectations: BofA Survey 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
The container ships on order rose by 23 to 201 last week, the biggest weekly gain in two years, boosting the outlook for Asian shipyards.
Some of the world’s largest container-shipping lines are ordering new vessels to address surging demand for ocean-cargo services.
Such ships globally transport about 80 percent of goods.
ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd., an Israeli company that went public in late January, and Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Corp. have announced recent purchases or chartering deals.
The 2016 bankruptcy of South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping disrupted supply chains for weeks and made it tougher to secure longer-term financing to purchase ships.
But the pandemic led to a surge in online demand for goods that allowed the carriers to charge rates up to four times higher for freight across the Pacific than a year ago.
Denmark’s A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the world's number one container shipping company, predicted last week that global container demand will increase 3 to 5 percent this year.
Orders for new container ships have increased by 115 since early October, equivalent to a new container capacity of over 1.1 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs. It raised the total capacity order to about 2.7 million TEUs.
Shipping lines have ordered 21 vessels from South Korean shipyards since the start of the year. Some will be powered by liquefied natural gas in compliance with new international pollution standards.
Chinese shipyards have also benefitted.
