Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.91%, Shanghai Composite up 0.1%, Hang Seng down 1.03% ASX down 0.44%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,667.05 (1.52%), Silver at $93.242 (5.50%), Brent Oil at $64.21 (0.12%), WTI Oil at $59.47 (0.16%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.240, UK 10-year yield at 4.4010, Germany 10-year yield at 2.8382
News & Data:
- (USD) Industrial Production m/m 0.4% to 0.1% expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are trading mostly lower on Monday, tracking broadly negative cues from Wall Street at the end of last week, as uncertainty over the future path of interest rates weighs on investor sentiment. Caution has increased amid ambiguity surrounding the US Federal Reserve leadership outlook, while traders are also reluctant to take major positions due to geopolitical concerns, including developments in Venezuela, unrest in Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Asian markets had closed mixed on Friday.
Attention remains firmly on the US Federal Reserve meeting scheduled for January 27–28. According to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, markets are pricing in a 95 percent probability that interest rates will be left unchanged, reflecting expectations of a prolonged pause in monetary tightening.
The Australian share market is notably weaker, snapping a five-session winning streak. The S&P/ASX 200 index has slipped below the 8,900 mark, pressured by broad-based selling led by technology and mining stocks. Gold miners were the lone outperformers, supported by higher bullion prices. Major banks and energy stocks also traded lower, while a handful of stocks gained on company-specific news, including Catalyst Metals following a high-grade gold discovery in Western Australia.
Japanese equities are also significantly lower, extending recent losses. The Nikkei 225 fell toward the 53,400 level, with automakers, technology firms, banks and exporters all under pressure. Weak economic data added to the gloom, as Japan’s core machinery orders recorded a sharper-than-expected decline in November.
Elsewhere in Asia, markets in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Southeast Asia are modestly lower, while South Korea and China are trading higher. The Australian dollar is hovering near $0.668, while the US dollar is firm against the yen.
Upcoming Events:
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