South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
U.S. stock futures edged higher on Monday, lifted by optimism over easing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing and anticipation of key corporate earnings. As of 03:28 ET (07:28 GMT), Dow futures were up 0.4%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.5%, and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.6%.
President Donald Trump signaled a potential thaw in U.S.-China relations, acknowledging that the proposed triple-digit tariffs on Chinese goods were “not sustainable.” He confirmed an upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are expected to hold trade talks this week. Still, Trump maintained a hardline stance on other nations, including India and Colombia, over trade and policy disputes.
Investors are also bracing for major earnings reports from Tesla and Netflix, alongside a delayed U.S. inflation report due to a government shutdown.
Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhone 17 series recorded a strong debut, outperforming last year’s iPhone 16 by 14% in its first 10 days in the U.S. and China, according to Counterpoint Research. The base model drove much of the demand, particularly in China, where sales nearly doubled year-over-year. In the U.S., the iPhone 17 Pro Max emerged as the top performer, boosted by higher carrier subsidies and strong demand in the ultra-premium segment.
In corporate news, Kering announced a €4 billion deal to sell its House of Creed perfume unit and license fragrance rights for brands like Gucci and Balenciaga to L’Oreal. The 50-year agreement includes a joint venture focused on luxury, wellness, and longevity.
Additionally, China’s GDP grew 4.8% year-on-year in Q3 2025, its slowest pace in a year, while gold prices steadied near record highs amid easing U.S.-China trade tensions.
