ASIA/PACIFIC
-The Australian stock market lost almost $50 billion and the Aussie dollar hit a new two-year low on Thursday, after the U.S. Federal Reserve delivered its third consecutive rate reduction and signaled fewer rate cuts ahead.
-Asian stocks and currencies fell, amid a broader market sell-off after Fed’s hawkish signal.
-The Bank of Japan’s decided to keep its policy rate unchanged at 0.25% for the third straight meeting.
. EUROPE
– European stock markets traded with losses with several markets falling to multi-week lows as the Bank of England decided to leave its benchmark rate unchanged.
-GfK SE sees consumer confidence in Germany improving in January and go from December’s negative 23.1 to negative 21.3 points.
-French business confidence pulled back in December in the third consecutive decline, with the composite indicator coming in at 94, below the long-term average of 100, Insee data showed.
. AMERICAS
North America
-Major U.S. stock markets closed the session mostly lower as investors seemed to fail to regain confidence after the Fed signaled it will slow down its easing.
Latin America
-A whopping 1130% rally in the shares of a Brazilian waste management company draw the attention of B3, the country’s stock exchange operator.
B3 SA, the company behind Brazil’s stock exchange, requested clarification on “atypical fluctuations” in the shares of Ambipar Participacoes e Empreendimentos SA that took place between Dec. 11 and 13, according to a note. On those days, the stock surged about 94%.
-Ecuador sews up debt-for-nature swap: Government picks up $1 bln loan in deal expected to unlock $800 million for rainforest conservation and other outlays, Latin Finance reported.
. AFRICA
-South Africa’s rand hit R18.37/$ following the Fed announcement – its weakest level since August. In Thursday morning trading, it recovered slightly to R18.28, according to Reuters.
-Jaiz Bank has successfully listed N10.04 billion from its private placement on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), following regulatory approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and NGX.
-Egypt and Belarus discussed the possibility of establishing a logistics zone for importing, manufacturing, and marketing grain products, according to a statement by the Cabinet.
. MIDDLE EAST
-Gulf stock markets closed lower in tandem with global peers after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled a slower pace of rate cuts in the coming year.
-Most central banks in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trimmed their interest rates in lockstep with US Fed move.
-Fitch Ratings has revised the Outlook on Oman’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Positive from Stable and affirmed the IDR at ‘BB+’.
. COMMODITIES
GOLD
Spot gold gained 0.8% to $2,607.88 per ounce as of 0251 GMT while U.S. gold futures eased 1.2% to $2,620.60.
SILVER-PLATINUM-PALLADIUM
Spot silver was up 0.3% to $29.44 per ounce, platinum added 0.6% to $924.65 and palladium gained 1% to $912.70.
OIL
Brent futures fell 33 cents, or 0.45%, to $73.06 a barrel by 0107 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 36 cents, or 0.51%, to $70.22.
