MONEY MASTER

Key Takeaway: Asian stocks face pressure as doubts about Federal Reserve easing persist , fueled by concerns over inflation risks from Trump’s fiscal and trade policies. Most Asian markets are poised for a soft opening on Monday, with futures in Australia, Japan, and mainland China pointing to losses , while Hong Kong shows marginal gains. This follows a 1.3% drop in US stocks on Friday , which erased more than half of their post-election rally. Inflation Fears and Fed Policy: Investors are grappling with the possibility that Trump’s tariffs and tax cuts could reignite inflation , complicating the Federal Reserve’s easing cycle. Odds of a December rate cut are now less than 50%, with analysts predicting a slower pace of easing in 2025 . Shane Oliver, AMP Ltd’s chief economist, noted, “Trump’s policies pose upside risks to inflation over the next 1-3 years, making additional Fed cuts uncertain.” Asian Market Snapshot: Japan: Traders will monitor a speech by BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda ...

Bitcoin soared to a new record high of $89,599 early Tuesday, briefly surpassing $89,000 , and pushing the overall cryptocurrency market value to an unprecedented level since the pandemic. This rally has accelerated since the US election, with Bitcoin climbing around 32% since November 5, spurred by the anticipated pro-crypto stance of President-elect Donald Trump. With Trump promising crypto-friendly regulations and potential strategic reserves of Bitcoin, the market has seen a surge in speculative buying. His agenda contrasts sharply with previous regulatory crackdowns, igniting excitement across both large and small tokens and raising the crypto market's value to approximately $3.1 trillion , as reported by CoinGecko. The optimism is evident in Bitcoin’s options market, with traders placing bets on the token surpassing $100,000 by year-end, according to Deribit exchange data. MicroStrategy, the largest corporate Bitcoin holder outside the ETF sector, recently added 27,200 Bit...

Asian stocks mostly declined on Tuesday as investors showed caution over Chinese stimulus efforts . Shares fell in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea, while Japan's stocks saw slight gains. Meanwhile, the US dollar hovered close to a one-year high after a 0.5% rise on Monday, reflecting investor concerns. Bitcoin surged past $89,000 , boosting the broader crypto market. U.S. stock futures remained mostly unchanged following Monday's gains, where the S&P 500 closed up 0.1% and the Dow Jones rose 0.7% . Beijing’s recent stimulus fell short of investors' expectations, especially as Chinese data indicated slower-than-expected credit growth. In contrast, Japan announced $65 billion to support its AI and semiconductor sectors , aiming to stimulate domestic tech investments. Looking ahead, U.S. inflation data due Wednesday is likely to shape market direction, with the core CPI expected to remain steady.

Asian stocks made modest gains following mixed earnings from Wall Street tech companies, as traders brace for next week's US election and the Federal Reserve’s rate decision. Japan's stocks rose, while Australia and South Korea saw slight declines. US stock futures showed gains after the S&P 500 closed up by 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite hit a record high. Despite Alphabet Inc. climbing over 5% after beating earnings expectations, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. dropped 7% due to a weak revenue forecast. Treasury yields edged lower, and the US dollar slipped after three days of gains. Gold hit a fresh record, and Bitcoin remained near its all-time high. Traders in Asia are preparing for key market moves following the Bank of Japan's decision on Thursday and a potential fiscal stimulus announcement from China at a top legislative meeting on November 4-8. Asia's regional equity benchmark is set for its worst monthly performance in a year. Investors are a...