ASIA/PACIFIC
-The Australian stock market closed lower on Wednesday after Ukraine fired American-made ballistic missiles into Russia for the first time, triggering fears of an escalation of the war.
-Asian markets traded mixed after the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) decided to leave its benchmark interest rates unchanged and Japan’s October export growth came in at 3.1% year over year.
-India’s market regulator (SEBI) proposes tighter norms for smaller company IPOs and is seeking public comments on the proposals by Dec. 4.
. EUROPE
– European stock markets closed lower as traders monitored a spike in tensions in the Ukraine-Russia war.
-UK inflation surged above Bank of England’s 2% target, increasing 2.3% curbing December rate cut expectations.
-The European Central Bank (ECB) said in its financial stability report on Wednesday that it sees elevated vulnerabilities due to several volatile circumstances. “The outlook for financial stability is clouded by heightened macro-financial and geopolitical uncertainty together with rising trade policy uncertainty,” ECB Vice-President Luis de Guindos said.
. AMERICAS
North America
– U.S. stocks ended the session narrowly mixed as Nvidia Corporation reported that its revenue for the third quarter of the 2025 fiscal skyrocketed 95% to $35.1 billion year-over-year, beating market estimates.
Latin America
-Ecuador opens Media Sector to foreign investment. Under the new rules, foreign citizens and companies can now become shareholders in Ecuadorian media. The amendment also allows foreign entities to participate in public processes.
. AFRICA
-Egypt’s United Bank has announced the opening of the private placement market for registering buy and sell orders on its shares on the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) starting Thursday (Nov. 21), until Nov. 25.
-Morgan Stanley expects the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to keep interest rates unchanged at its upcoming meeting on November 21st, Asharq Business reported.
-Ghana blocks pension funds from offshore investment on currency concerns, Reuters reported citing sources.
. MIDDLE EAST
-Major stock markets in the Gulf fell although Dubai index hit an over 10-year high on finance and real estate sector gains.
-Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) has begun offering Additional Tier 1 capital sustainable 5-year sukuk to Saudi and global investors.
-UAE leads digital banking in Middle East, according to a new report from Arthur D. Little (ADL).
. COMMODITIES
GOLD
Spot gold added 0.32% to $2,640.19 per ounce by 0323 GMT, its highest since Nov. 11. U.S. gold futures climbed 0.5% to $2,643.70.
SILVER-PLATINUM-PALLADIUM
Spot silver was steady at 31.22 per ounce, platinum added 0.1% to $975.10 at $973.90 and palladium flat at $1,035.43.
OIL
Brent crude futures for January were up 40 cents, or 0.55%, to $73.71 a barrel shortly after 7:30 a.m. ET. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for December, due to expire on Wednesday, were up 56 cents, or 0.81%, to $69.95.
