ASIA/PACIFIC
-The Australian stock continued its losing streak for a fifth day in a row on Monday, as China reported mixed economic data. Chinese industrial output growth quickened slightly in November, but retail sales were weaker than expected.
-Asian stocks ended mixed with investors looking to several major central bank decisions due this week including the Bank of Japan and the People’s Bank of China.
-Japan’s SoftBank Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son is expected to meet United States President-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago later in the day and announce his company’s plans to invest $100 billion in the US, CNBC reported.
. EUROPE
– European stocks edged lower on Monday morning
-Credit rating agency Moody’s on Saturday downgraded France’s score to Aa3, from Aa2 previously, adding to pressure on the nation’s borrowing costs.
-European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said in a speech at the Bank of Lithuania’s Annual Economics Conference on Monday that interest rates are likely to decrease further if data continue to confirm the disinflation trend.
. AMERICAS
North America
-US stock futures showed little movement on Monday as investors looked ahead to this week’s pivotal Federal Reserve meeting.
Latin America
-Caracas Stock Exchange has traded 98% more this year than in 2023, the Venezuelan bourse said.
-Mexican IPO market warming up: BMV Citibanamex, Aeroméxico and Diablos Rojos plan share listings next year, Latin Finance reported citing Mexican stock exchange executive.
. AFRICA
-In Nigeria, currency outside banks hit all time high N4.2 trillion in October as POS operators dominate ATMs, Nairametrics reported.
-Financial inclusion rates in Egypt grew by 181% from December 2016 to June 2024, according to a statement by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE).
-Companies in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda are poised to benefit from a new Ksh129 billion ($1 billion) special fund known as the Africa Capital Hub (ACH) aimed at supporting sustainable development projects across Africa, the East African reported.
. MIDDLE EAST
-Gulf stock markets inched higher ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate decision due later this week.
-Shares of Oman’s OQ Base Industries (OQBI) fell 3.6% on its debut trade on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) on Sunday, the latest in a series of poorly traded starts for GCC IPOs, Zawya reported.
-UAE’s global energy investment company XRG and British oil giant BP, have set up a joint venture and international natural gas platform.
. COMMODITIES
GOLD
Spot gold was up 0.4% at $2,658.64 per ounce as of 0918 GMT while U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $2,677.70, according to Reuters.
SILVER-PLATINUM-PALLADIUM
Spot
OIL
Brent crude futures fell 60 cents, or 0.81%, to $73.89 a barrel by 1043 GMT while U.S. WTI crude dropped by 70 cents, or 0.98%, to $70.59.
