Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
The Japanese yen hovered near a record low against the euro and a nine-month trough versus the U.S. dollar on Thursday after Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, urged the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to move cautiously on raising interest rates. The yen traded at 179.32 per euro after hitting an all-time low of 179.47 overnight and stayed steady at 154.82 per dollar following its dip to 155.05, the weakest level since February.
Takaichi emphasized her administration’s preference for maintaining low borrowing costs and called for close coordination with the BOJ, asking Governor Kazuo Ueda to provide regular updates to the government’s Council on Economic and Fiscal Policy. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama issued a fresh warning on yen weakness as it approached the 155 mark, citing “one-sided and rapid movements” in the foreign exchange market.
Economists say the yen’s persistent decline is raising concerns in Tokyo. Norihiro Yamaguchi of Oxford Economics noted that the exchange rate has become “crucial to the survival of the administration,” suggesting the government may eventually accept BOJ rate hikes to stabilize the currency. Markets now price in a 24% chance of a 0.25% rate increase in December, climbing to 46% by January.
In contrast, the Australian dollar strengthened to a two-week high of $0.6559 after official data showed a sharper-than-expected drop in unemployment, easing pressure on the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut rates. Employment surged in October, led by full-time hiring, lowering the jobless rate and signaling resilience in the labor market. A top RBA official said there’s growing debate over whether the current 3.6% cash rate is sufficiently restrictive to tame inflation.
A weak yen and solid Australian data have fueled volatility across currency markets, with traders watching closely as the U.S. government shutdown nears its end—potentially unleashing a flood of delayed economic reports.
