Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Russian stocks closed flat on Saturday, with the MOEX Russia Index remaining unchanged at 0.00%. Despite the stagnant overall performance, select stocks saw notable movement in the day’s trading session.
Among the top performers, Aeroflot PJSC (MCX:AFLT) led gains with a 2.96% rise or 1.68 points, ending the session at 58.50. Unipro PJSC (MCX:UPRO) followed, adding 2.79% or 0.04 points to close at 1.55, while PIK SHb PJSC (MCX:PIKK) advanced 2.78% or 11.30 points to settle at 417.40.
On the downside, GDR ROS AGRO PLC ORD SHS (MCX:AGRODR), ADS Ozon Holdings PLC ORD SHS (MCX:OZONDR), and PhosAgro PJSC (MCX:PHOR) showed minimal movement, each finishing the session largely unchanged. ROS AGRO remained steady at 1,083.80, marking a 52-week low, while Ozon closed at 4,135.00. PhosAgro gained a slight 0.52% or 36.00 points, closing at 6,984.00.
Market breadth was positive, with 222 stocks advancing, 10 declining, and 7 unchanged on the Moscow Exchange. The Russian Volatility Index (RVI), which gauges implied market volatility, also stayed stable at 33.24, reflecting steady investor sentiment.
In commodities, Gold Futures for December delivery dropped 2.12% to $4,213.30 per troy ounce. Crude Oil (November) inched up 0.14% to $57.54 per barrel, while Brent Oil (December) gained 0.38% to trade at $61.29.
On the currency front, the USD/RUB pair climbed 1.46% to 81.18, while EUR/RUB rose 1.14% to 94.58. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index Futures edged up 0.10% to 98.19, signaling mild dollar strength against a basket of major currencies.
