S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico MarketThe Japanese yen strengthened past 155 per dollar on Friday, positioning itself for solid weekly gains as investors expect the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates despite Tokyo’s cooler-than-expected inflation data. The capital’s annual inflation rate eased to a more than one-year low of 2% in December, reflecting softer food and energy price pressures. Tokyo’s inflation data are widely regarded as a leading indicator of nationwide price trends and are therefore closely monitored by policymakers and markets. The BOJ recently raised its policy rate to 0.75%, the highest since 1995, with Governor Ueda hinting at more hikes if inflation persists. Despite this, the yen remains near January lows, prompting warnings of possible market intervention. Meanwhile, the cabinet approved a draft fiscal 2026 budget with record general-account spending of around JPY 122 trillion. It marks the first budget under the Takaichi administration, set for submission to the Diet in January.
