Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets 
Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Gold Prices Edge Higher as Markets Await Key U.S. PCE Inflation Data 
Spain’s Industrial Output Records Steady Growth in October Amid Revised September Figures 
Citi Sets Bullish 2026 Target for STOXX 600 as Fiscal Support and Monetary Easing Boost Outlook 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
Asian Markets Stabilize as Wall Street Rebounds and Rate Concerns Ease 
Oil Prices Rise as Ukraine Targets Russian Energy Infrastructure 
Asian Currencies Edge Higher as Markets Look to Fed Rate Cut; Rupee Steadies Near Record Lows 
BOJ Faces Pressure for Clarity, but Neutral Rate Estimates Likely to Stay Vague 
Dollar Holds Steady as Markets Shift Focus to 2026 Rate Cut Expectations 
Germany’s Economic Recovery Slows as Trade Tensions and Rising Costs Weigh on Growth 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
The Japanese yen strengthened against the U.S. dollar on Friday after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept interest rates steady at 0.5% but announced plans to sell holdings of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investment trusts (REITs). The move unsettled investors, sending the dollar down 0.4% to 147.33 yen. The decision drew two dissenting votes, fueling speculation that rate hikes could come sooner than expected. Analysts now view the BOJ’s October 30 meeting as a potential turning point for a hike this year.
Earlier data showed Japan’s core consumer prices rose at the slowest pace in nine months, adding pressure on policymakers. Market participants are awaiting BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda’s comments later Friday, though uncertainty ahead of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election—where Sanae Takaichi is seen as the frontrunner to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba—may limit policy signals.
Meanwhile, global markets remain focused on U.S. monetary policy. The Federal Reserve’s recent rate cut has heightened speculation of further easing, with futures pricing showing over 90% odds of another 25-basis-point cut in October. Political tensions also weigh on sentiment, with the Trump administration pushing the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold sweeping tariffs and even seeking authority to fire a Fed governor—moves that raise concerns about central bank independence.
The euro slipped 0.1% to $1.1773, sterling eased to $1.3544 after the Bank of England slowed its bond run-off program, and the New Zealand dollar extended losses following weak GDP data. The offshore yuan traded at 7.1104 per dollar, while the Australian dollar slipped to $0.6601. Investors remain cautious, weighing central bank actions, trade policy uncertainty, and political risks across major economies.
