Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Market Movements
Robinhood investing.com launched a platinum credit card targeting wealthy customers, expanding its financial services beyond trading. Australian mining heavyweights investing.com slipped on ex-dividend trade, weighing on the broader market. Goldman Sachs Asset Management bloomberg.com said non-payment in private credit remains low, signaling resilience in the sector.
Asia-Pacific Markets
China set a 2026 GDP target of 4.5%-5% and outlined stimulus plans to boost domestic demand while limiting fiscal support to specific sectors. Iron ore bloomberg.com rose as Beijing vowed measures to support the steel sector and tackle overcapacity. Asian equities wsj.com rebounded as risk appetite improved following strong U.S. economic data. Australia's trade surplus investing.com narrowed unexpectedly in January as exports slipped, while household spending rebounded, complicating the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate decision.
Geopolitical Tensions
The fear index bloomberg.com showed traders bracing for more selling in Indian shares as Middle East conflict rages. Gold prices investing.com rose on Middle East conflict and a softer U.S. dollar. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney bloomberg.com said military action cannot be ruled out if the Mideast conflict widens. The US military bloomberg.com pledged to maintain a strong force in the Korean Peninsula amid regional tensions.
China's Economic Strategy
China plans to issue $44 billion in special sovereign bonds to recapitalize top banks and bolster its $69 trillion financial system. China's traditional businesses wsj.com are pouring millions into semiconductor companies to capitalize on the AI boom. China's steady debt plan bloomberg.com calmed the bond market, with ample liquidity supporting growing bets on policy easing. China vowed bloomberg.com to tackle the property crunch with city-specific policies but stopped short of major announcements.
Commodities & Currencies
Billionaire Joy Alukkas bloomberg.com, sitting on 16,000 kilos of gold, predicted prices will rise due to geopolitical and economic uncertainty. South Korea and Taiwan wsj.com appear particularly exposed to rising LNG prices, according to MUFG Bank. The Philippines' inflation bloomberg.com hit a one-year high in February, potentially limiting further monetary easing.
Corporate & Technology
Anthropic CEO investing.com resumed talks with the Pentagon over an AI deal, while OpenAI ft.com pushed to add surveillance safeguards following its Pentagon agreement. US lawmakers finance.yahoo.com raised concerns over Intel's testing of tools made by a Chinese-linked firm. Medline's buyout firm backers bloomberg.com raised $3.1 billion in a share sale, capitalizing on the medical supplier's strong trading since its December IPO.