Public Markets 3d Briefing
×Market Performance
Asian currencies bloomberg.com strengthened to a 16-month high on Wednesday, supported by a weaker dollar and steady yuan appreciation. South Korean stocks bloomberg.com surged past France in market value, propelled by gains in technology shares riding the global boom in artificial intelligence. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 investing.com jumped after CPI rose more than expected in January, with core inflation accelerating.
European investment banks ft.com capitalized on volatility in 2025, with Barclays and Deutsche Bank leading the pack. Novo Nordisk bloomberg.com trial data disappointed, sending shockwaves across Danish equities and dragging the wider market down. Spain's housing market bloomberg.com reached a boiling point as tens of thousands of occupied homes are for sale.
Regional Markets
Hong Kong's economy bloomberg.com is forecast to grow 2.5% to 3.5% in 2026, signaling confidence in the city's momentum after it staged a powerful comeback last year. Indonesia bloomberg.com began marketing its second offshore yuan bond in four months, testing global investor confidence amid concerns over fiscal woes in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
Colombia's peso bloomberg.com is defying economic and political woes after a surprisingly hawkish pivot in monetary policy reinforced the dominant carry trade. South African stocks bloomberg.com are riding a wave of optimism that hasn't been seen in years, though their sustainability depends on economic growth.
Technology & AI Impact
AI upheaval ft.com is forcing the software industry to ask if this is an 'adapt or die' moment as markets weigh whether incumbents will embrace disruption or be sidelined by AI agents. Wise Tech finance.yahoo.com CEO sees even more AI savings after axing 30% of staff, while Amazon ft.com AI lab chief David Luan will leave the company this week to 'cook up something new.'
Global funds bloomberg.com snapped up Taiwanese stocks in their biggest one-day buying spree in two decades, signaling confidence that chipmakers will remain AI-boom beneficiaries. Goldman Sachs finance.yahoo.com research shows asset-heavy stocks outperform on AI fears.
Financial Sector Developments
HSBC bloomberg.com overall bonus pool rose 10% to $3.93 billion, the highest in at least a decade after the bank delivered full-year results that beat analyst estimates. HSBC ft.com warned that capital ratios need to improve before it resumes buybacks, following the $14 billion privatization of Hang Seng Bank.
UBS bloomberg.com now sees private credit defaults reaching 15% in the worst case, up from previous forecasts. A New Mountain private credit fund sold $477 million of assets at 94 cents on the dollar as industry worries continue. OTP Bank bloomberg.com is eyeing Central Asia for next stage of expansion, CEO says, as it seeks to replicate an expansion strategy that's made it the second-biggest bank in Eastern Europe.
Mining & Commodities
Australian miner Lynas Rare Earths bloomberg.com has overtaken Qantas Airways by market capitalization as concerns about China's dominance of critical minerals lift the stock. Fortescue investing.com HY earnings climbed on record shipments, with shares rising accordingly.
Gold bloomberg.com edged higher amid possible position adjustments as traders weighed uncertainty around US import tariffs and geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Oil prices wsj.com rose in the morning Asian session as traders braced for US-Iran talks, already at a six-month high due to rising tensions.
Corporate & Deal News
Nippon Steel bloomberg.com shares slumped after the company said it planned to sell almost $4 billion of bonds to help fund the acquisition of United States Steel Corp. Cosan bloomberg.com is mulling an IPO of its gas company as debt engulfs its sugar unit, with the Brazilian conglomerate seeking to reduce its debt burden.
Wayve ft.com, a UK AI start-up, raised $1.2 billion from carmakers and Big Tech, valuing the self-driving group at $8.6 billion as it gears up to launch robotaxi service in London this year. Singapore Airlines wsj.com posted record quarterly revenue, buoyed by robust travel demand, but its net profit slumped due to the absence of a one-time gain that boosted the previous year's earnings.
Policy & Regulatory
Japan wsj.com continues to maintain a tight dialogue with the US on foreign-exchange moves, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said. The Bank of Japan bloomberg.com saw its yen reversal after dovish nominations, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government nominating two new policy board members seen as dovish.
Colombia bloomberg.com slapped 30% reciprocal tariffs on more than 60 goods from Ecuador, escalating a trade dispute between the neighboring countries. The Supreme Court bloomberg.com struck down President Trump's emergency tariffs, with the White House implementing a new baseline global tariff of 10% that took effect for 150 days.
Emerging Markets
India's solar manufacturer stocks finance.yahoo.com tanked after preliminary US duties on imports. African sovereign debt bloomberg.com risk perceptions are 'overblown,' according to a Zambian Treasury official, who says mispriced risk is costing the continent billions in additional debt-service payments.
Chinese stocks in Hong Kong bloomberg.com rallied after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump's emergency tariffs, putting China among countries set to face lower duties on shipments to the US. Tongwei Co. bloomberg.com plans to buy a smaller domestic rival as the solar industry bids to shrink chronic oversupply of the solar-panel material.
Market Analysis
New York Life's Goodwin bloomberg.com says affordability, not inflation, is the short-term market catalyst. JPMorgan's Bob Michele bloomberg.com sees bonds as a 'perfectly priced market,' explaining factors creating 'nice' tailwinds for the bond market.
Academy Securities' Peter Tchir bloomberg.com warns that "this 10% or 15%, it's not done," explaining market fears related to the Supreme Court striking down Trump's global tariffs. Davis Advisors' Chris Davis bloomberg.com discusses active and value performance on Bloomberg ETF IQ.