ASIA/PACIFIC
-The Australian stock market closed higher on Wenesday as relief at a slowing Core CPI renewed hopes of a rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia next month.
-Asian markets traded mixed after Japan post a decline in consumer confidence and the Chinese onshore yuan hit a 16-month low after stronger Treasury yields send dollar higher.
-Indian stocks will benefit from the Trump 2.0 era, GIB Asset Management’s Kunal Desai told CNBC.
. EUROPE
-Major stock European stock market closed lower weighed down by data showing a drop in eurozone economic sentiment in the month of December.
-Germany’s new factory orders dropped by 5.4% in November, which was below analysts’ expectations, Destatis said.
-UK investors added a record 27.2 billion pounds ($34 billion) to their stock holdings in 2024, accoring to funds network Calastone.
. AMERICAS
North America
-U.S. stocks closed narrowly mixed amid uncertainty about the outlook for interest rates following the release of mixed U.S. jobs data.
Latin America
-Latin America-focused development bank IDB plans to price notes in Australia and Europe on Wednesday, sources told Latin Finance.
-The Swiss banking group Julius Baer has agreed to sell its wealth management and securities advisory business in Brazil to BTG Pactual.
. AFRICA
-The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange has announced that it is still awaiting approval for self-listing.
-Egypt’s net international reserves (NIR) stood at $47.109 billion at the end of December, according to data from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE).
-Ghana’s GSE Composite Index experienced the most significant growth in 2024 among African markets with a remarkable 56% year-to-date growth, marking its best performance since 2013.
. MIDDLE EAST
-The Boursa Kuwait gained $1,296mln in market value in early 2025, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
-Dubai-listed Emirates NBD prices five-year notes to list on Tapei Stock Exchange, Zawya reported.
-Oman plans to issue $1.9bln in local bonds, sukuk in 2025, reports Muscat Daily.
. COMMODITIES
GOLD
Spot gold slipped 0.1% to $2,648.16 per ounce, as of 0308 GMT while U.S. gold futures fell 0.1% to $2,662.30, accoring to Reuters.
SILVER-PLATINUM-PALLADIUM
Spot silver added 0.3% to $30.11 per ounce, platinum dropped 0.5% to $946.11 and palladium
edged 0.2% lower to $923.87.
OIL
Brent crude was up 32 cents, or 0.42%, to $77.37 a barrel at 0135 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 42 cents, or 0.57%, to $74.67.
