Markets moved despite a light news flow, with the Nikkei and gold both hitting record highs as the U.S. dollar drifted lower across majors. Australia’s NAB survey showed mixed signals, while Japan’s LDP set an October 4 full-scale leadership vote to replace PM Ishiba.
- Japanese media report the ruling party will hold a "full spec" vote, Why that's important.
- Gold has hit a record high, and continues to rise above US$3650
- The US is considering ending quarterly reporting requirements for listed firms
- Australian August 2025 Business confidence 4 (vs. prior 8)
- PBOC sets USD/ CNY central rate at 7.1008 (vs. estimate at 7.1225)
- China, Canada hold in-depth trade talks with focus on economic cooperation
- Wood prices tumble, raising alarm for housing market and broader economy
- Australian September consumer sentiment -3.1% m/m (prior +5.7%)
- Another record day for Japanese stocks - Nikkei hits a record high
- Note for the diary - France's sovereign rating will be reviewed on Friday
- Trump tweeting on football - markets safe for now
- Japan's Akazawa says US tariffs on Japanese goods will be lowered by September 16th,
- UK like-for like sales rose 3.1% in August, fastest this year apart from Easter
- MUFG read the future on the French vote. MUFG forecasts EUR/USD above $1.2000 by year-end.
- New Zealand manufacturing sales fall in second quarter
- Morgan Stanley’s Wilson: Market volatility could set stage for strong year-end rally
- Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said there’s no need for the Fed to rapidly cut rates
- Major Australian bank ANZ has announced approximately 3,500 jobs will go by September 2026
- Magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Athens, Greece
- Heads up - Expect a series of tweets from Trump soon after Epstein revelation
- US labor market disaster - The chance of finding a job in US has collapsed to a record low
- ICYMI - Trump's Fed nominee Miran faces Senate vote Wednesday, ahead of Sept FOMC meeting
- Goldman’s Solomon links stronger U.S. growth to trade clarity, flags M&A expansion.
- NASDAQ index closes at a new record high
- investingLive Americas FX news wrap: French Prime Minister loses confidence vote
- ICYMI - US, Pakistan sign $500m critical minerals deal with refinery plan
It was a session light on major news or data, but markets still saw meaningful moves.
Japanese equities extended their run higher, with the Nikkei 225 at another record high. Gold also climbed to fresh record highs, while the U.S. dollar drifted lower across the majors. EUR, GBP and AUD all advanced, though CAD lagged.
The one notable data release came from Australia, where the NAB August business survey showed confidence easing to 4 in Augusy (from 8 in July) but conditions improving to 7 (from 5). Employment ticked higher, while growth in labour costs, purchase costs and final product prices all slowed.
In politics, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party said it is likely to hold a full-scale (“full-spec”) leadership vote on October 4 to choose Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s successor, involving more than 100,000 rank-and-file members nationwide.
Asia-Pac stocks:
- Japan (Nikkei 225) +0.2%
- Hong Kong (Hang Seng) +1.2%
- Shanghai Composite +0.03%
- Australia (S&P/ASX 200) -0.5%
