South Korea keeps rates on hold

VA loans hit 7.7% of mortgages, a decade high. Entitlement boosts borrowing power, but awareness lags.

Goldman Sachs said gold's four-month decline does not derail its long-term bull case, still targeting $4,900/oz by end-2026 on central bank buying, even as JPMorgan sees $6,000 and BofA trims its own forecast to $4,800.

NZIER's Monetary Policy Shadow Board narrowly favours holding the OCR at 2.25% in July, but calls it a line-ball decision against a 25bp hike, with members still agreeing rates should reach 3 to 3.25% within a year.

PBOC is expected to set the USD/CNY reference rate at 6.7850 – Reuters estimate

EV batteries hit 300k miles! Strong durability boosts sector valuation, signaling potential for investors.

S&P 500 & Nasdaq futures climb, extending gains after a record week. Traders eye new highs.

ANZ expects the RBNZ to raise the OCR 25bp to 2.50% next Wednesday despite the sharp fall in oil prices, arguing a neutral-to-dovish hike offers the most comfortable footing given persistent inflation risk and a softer NZD.