Merkel supports France’s Lagarde for IMF head- Handelsblatt

SOX surges 3.6% on strong hardware demand! Nasdaq up 0.94%, S&P 500 gains 0.48%. Industrials and Transports also see gains.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to speak with Trump, call scheduled Friday Trump and Xi to discuss trade, TikTok and tech in first call since June.

Japan’s LDP leadership contender Takaichi will propose income tax cuts and cash handouts to households in her campaign platform, Nikkei reports. Cost-of-living relief and economic policy are emerging as central themes in the October 4 vote.

MUFG expects Bank of Japan to hold off rate rise today. MUFG expects the BoJ to hold rates at 0.50% this week and now sees the next hike delayed until January 2026, citing tariff uncertainty and a softer growth outlook.

investingLive Americas FX news wrap: Initial claims and Philly Fed show a better economy Forex news for North American trading on Sep 18, 2025

NZ's RBNZ seeks new chief amid economic downturn & govt pressure. Rate cuts of 250bps to 3% signal tough recovery ahead.

Canada seizes $40.5M in crypto from TradeOgre exchange for money laundering. Bitcoin, ETH, XRP among assets. Investigation ongoing.