Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The White House insisted that peace talks with Iran are ongoing, even as Tehran publicly rejected US overtures and issued fresh conditions of its own to end the conflict that's wreaked havoc across the Middle East and global markets. For more, we heard from Rosemary Kelanic, Middle East Program Director at Defense Priorities. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn Plus - The Asia Pacific Financial and Innovation Symposium is underway in Melbourne. Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts speaks exclusively to Sam Sicilia, CIO at Hostplus, one of Australia's biggest superannuation funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Oil declined and equities advanced as optimism strengthened around Washington's diplomatic push to resolve the near month-long Middle East conflict. We heard from Todd Jablonski, CIO and Global Head of Multi-Asset and Quant at Principal Asset Management. He spoke to Bloomberg's David Ingles and Yvonne Man. Plus - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to restarting talks with Beijing on a joint oil and gas project in a disputed area of the South China Sea, saying the war in Iran may provide the impetus for a breakthrough. He spoke exclusively to Bloomberg's Haslinda Amin. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. President Donald Trump said the US would postpone strikes against Iran's energy infrastructure after what he called "productive conversations" with the country, in comments that spurred confusion over the participants in the talks and parameters of a deal. For more on the market reaction, we heard from Suresh Tantia, Head CIO Asia Equity Strategy at UBS Global Wealth Management. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. Plus - for more analysis on President Trump's latest announcement on Iran, we heard from Randa Slim, Middle East Program Lead at the Stimson Center. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stocks and bonds rebounded after President Donald Trump said the US and Iran had “very good” conversations about an end to the conflict in the Middle East. President rump said strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and power plants would be postponed for five days following the start of talks with Iran to end the war. For details on this development, Tom Keene and Paul Sweeney speak with Bloomberg Middle East Reporter Joumanna Bercetche, Silvercrest Asset Management Head of Investment Policy & Strategy Robert Teeter, and Veda Partners Co-Founder Henrietta Treyz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Stocks fell and oil whipsawed in a volatile start to trading, as the war in Iran entered a fourth week with no sign of de-escalation. Treasuries extended their selloff. Martin Schulz, Head of International Equity Group at Federated Hermes spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Annabelle Droulers on the Asia Trade. Plus - The Milken Institute's Global Investors' Symposium is taking place this week in Hong Kong, bringing together some of the world's most influental investors and business leaders in the Asia Pacific. Bloomberg's Minmin Low spoke to Perry Wong, Senior Fellow and Managing Director at the Milken Institute. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Alexis Christoforous take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look at to what we can expect for mortgage rates in 2026. In the UK – we preview Denmark's upcoming snap elections In Asia – a discussion on what we can expect when EV maker BYD releases earnings See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Brent crude traded above $112 per barrel as strikes between Iran and Israel on critical energy facilities — which also caused extensive damage to the world's largest liquefied natural gas export plant in Qatar — raised concerns of a more lasting impact from the conflict. We speak to Sing Yee Ong, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Reporter. Plus - Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged and continued to expect one rate cut this year as they acknowledged increased uncertainty due to war in the Middle East. Chair Jerome Powell emphasized that to resume lowering rates, officials would have to see progress in reducing inflation, especially goods inflation that has been boosted by tariffs. We speak to David Finnerty, Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rose while oil edged lower, suggesting investors are trying to look past near-term geopolitical uncertainty and find a measure of stability in markets. We speak to Lianting Tu, Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - US President Donald Trump abandoned his effort to recruit partners for the war with Iran and scolded allies who openly rejected his appeals, even as he repeated claims the conflict would end soon. The US and Israel nonetheless kept up their attacks with little clarity on when operations would end, with Israel saying it had killed Iran's security chief, Ali Larijani, in an overnight operation. Trump threatened to expand strikes on Kharg Island, Iran's main export hub, while Gulf countries continued to face attacks from Iran-sent drones. We heard from Fred Fleitz, America First Policy Institute Vice Chair of American Security. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rose at the open after optimism that more tankers would be able to pass through the crucial Strait of Hormuz lifted gauges on Wall Street. Risk appetite was also boosted by expectations that major economies could release petroleum reserves to offset potential supply disruptions, after President Donald Trump renewed calls for allies to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz. Threats to flows through the vital shipping lane continued to fan inflation worries as investors brace for a slate of central-bank meetings this week. We speak to Paul Dobson, Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - President Donald Trump requested a delay to his summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for about a month, saying it was important for him to remain in Washington to oversee the Iran war. "We're working on that right now. We're speaking to China. I'd love to, but because of the war, I want to be here," Trump said Monday during a White House event when asked about potentially rescheduling the high-profile summit. The meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest economies is currently set to begin later this month. We heard from Mara Rudman, Practitioner Senior Fellow at University of Virginia's Miller Center. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil erased early gains as traders sought to gauge the impact to supply after US attacks on Iran's main export hub, another escalation in the war that's all but cut off global customers from the region's energy supplies for more than two weeks. We spoke to Steven Schoenfeld, CEO at MarketVector Indexes. Plus - The world's top central banks convene this week facing a renewed inflation threat from the war in Iran and the possibility that they'll be forced to delay interest-rate cuts and in some cases consider hikes. Changes aren't imminent yet: The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are all expected to keep borrowing costs steady as they assess how much surging energy costs will feed through to consumer prices and growth. But for them and the other 18 central banks that are about to set policy — overseeing about two-thirds of the global economy in total — the tone will turn more cautious as they acknowledge the risk of another inflation shock. We heard from Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist at AMP. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to next week’s monetary policy decision from the Federal Reserve and a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to the Bank of England and European Central Bank decisions. In Asia – a look ahead to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks followed their US peers lower in early trading Friday, with oil prices in focus on growing fears that the war in Iran will further crimp energy supplies and boost inflation. Brent oil traded near $100 a barrel as both US President Donald Trump and Iran's new supreme leader struck defiant tones, with the latter saying the Strait of Hormuz should remain shut. Preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons and threatening the Middle East is "of far greater interest and importance to me" than the cost of oil, Trump said in a social media post. For more on the market action, we spoke to Winnie Hsu, Bloomberg's Asia Equities Reporter. And for more analysis on how the conflict in the Middle East is weighing on the equity market, we heard from Garry Evans, Head of Research Solutions at BCA Research. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Oil's advance showed concerns over an escalating Iran war outweighed relief offered by an emergency release of crude reserves by wealthy nations. The US plans to release 172 million barrels from its emergency oil reserve as nations around the world work to ease surging crude and fuel prices. That's part of the plan by member countries of the International Energy Agency to discharge 400 million barrels from reserves globally, its largest-ever release. For more analysis, we spoke to Mark Cranfield, Bloomberg's MLIV Strategist. And for markets perspective on the oil story, we heard from Dilin Wu, Research Strategist at Pepperstone. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Volatility in oil prices continue to dominate the markets. The International Energy Agency proposed biggest-ever release of oil reserves the Wall Street Journal reported. Brent crude initially declined. then swung between gains and losses following WSJ report; stocks rose. Earlier in the day, the oil market was buffeted by confusion over whether the US Navy escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz. Energy Secretary Chris Wright claimed that was the case in a post on social media. Later, however, the post on X was deleted. Then in a briefing with reporters, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US did not escort any oil tanker through the Strait. For more on what this means for the dollar, we spoke to David Finnerty, Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist. And for more analysis on the oil story, we heard from Vandana Hari, Vanda Insights Founder. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. President Donald Trump said he would waive oil-related sanctions, have the US Navy escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and predicted on Monday that the war with Iran would resolve "very soon" as he confronted mounting economic and political pressure and days of dramatic fluctuations in oil markets. The president said he didn't believe the conflict would be over this week, but insisted the operation was ahead of schedule and looked to shore up investors increasingly concerned about energy prices. He vowed bombing "at a much, much harder level" if Iran disrupted oil supplies. For more on the impact Trump's remarks had on the oil market, we spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Team Leader. Plus - Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian female soccer players who sought asylum, citing fears for their safety after the team declined to sing the national anthem during a match on the Gold Coast last week. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday that the government is willing to provide similar assistance to the rest of the Iranian women's team, the Lionesses, noting that "this is a very delicate situation and it is up to them" to decide. Craig Foster is an Australian retired soccer player and a human rights activist. He spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Crude oil surged above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022 due to escalating hostilities in the Middle East and worsening strains on oil shipping, sending stocks and Treasuries lower. Brent climbed 18% to around $109 a barrel, adding to last week's 28% surge. Traders are braced for further upheaval with the Iran conflict entering a second week, major producers curbing output and traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz effectively halted. For more on how this affects the markets, we spoke to Paul Dobson, Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - what does the oil surge mean for the economies in the Asia Pacific? We heard from Qian Wang, Vanguard Group Chief APAC Economist. She spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts, Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to U.S CPI data, along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to Paris nuclear talks. In Asia – a look ahead to legislative elections in Vietnam. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The US-Israeli offensive against Iran has rattled energy markets, driving crude oil to multi-year highs on fears that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz may choke supplies and reignite inflation. That came as equity investors confront stretched valuations after an artificial intelligence-fueled rally pushed stocks to elevated levels. We spoke to Winnie Wu, Head of APAC Equity Strategy at Bank of America Global Research. Plus - Goldman Sachs Natural Gas Research Head Samantha Dart says a scenario where Brent crude prices cross the 100 dollar threshold as "possible" if the Strait of Hormuz were to experience several weeks of interrupted oil flow. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities rebounded, with South Korea leading gains after its worst rout on record, as sentiment showed signs of a recovery following an initial bout of volatility sparked by the Middle East conflict. In China, they set a growth target of 4.5% to 5%, its most modest in more than three decades, in a shift towards more sustainable growth drivers. For more, we turn to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - Goldman Sachs Group Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said he's watching the private credit market for 'frothiness,' though he hasn't seen anything that gives him significant cause for concern. Speaking on the sidelines of the firm's inaugural 'Australia Week,' Solomon exclusively told Bloomberg that markets' 'benign' reaction reflects cautious stance on figuring out the endgame. He also shared his 'glass half full' outlook on the prospects for artificial intelligence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The US-Israeli attack on Iran has destabilized the Middle East and threatens to deliver a new inflationary shock to the US economy by pushing up oil prices. There's also no clear sense of when or how it will end, raising the prospect of prolonged conflict and unforeseen consequences beyond the White House's control. Focus is on oil amid fresh attacks which flared in the Middle East as traders weighed a US plan to insure and escort tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with traffic in the vital waterway all but halted. For more perspective, we spoke to Rob Haworth, Senior Investment Strategy Director, U.S. Bank Asset Management Group. Plus - South Korean stocks are experiencing significant declines amid heightened geopolitical tensions. Risk-off sentiment driven by the Iran war has been the primary catalyst for the selloff, with concerns about higher energy prices threatening growth in South Korea, the world's eighth-largest oil consumer. We heard from Kerry Craig, JPMorgan Asset Management Global Market Strategist. He spoke to Bloomberg TV Hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Avril Hong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Traders remained focused on oil with the commodity extending gains as the US and Israel stepped up their war against Iran, while Tehran threatened a full closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial waterway for the movement of oil. Brent rose toward $79 a barrel after spiking about 7% on Monday. We spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Team Leader for Asia Energy. Plus - The US sent conflicting messages about how long a war with Iran might last as Israel launched new airstrikes on Monday, with the widening conflict reverberating across the Middle East and upending energy markets. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday rejected the idea of an "endless" war with Iran. But President Donald Trump later insisted there was no fixed timeline. Both refused to rule out putting American boots on the ground. "Whatever the time is, it's okay — whatever it takes," Trump said. "Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks. But we have capability to go far longer than that." We heard from Mona Yacoubian, CSIS Director and Senior Adviser of the Middle East Program. She spoke to Bloomberg's David Ingles and Yvonne Man. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Oil surged by the most in four years, before paring some gains as traders assessed the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz triggered by the US-Israeli war against Iran. For more on the markets, we turn to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - President Donald Trump said the bombing campaign against Iran will continue until its objectives are achieved, calling on the nation's leaders to capitulate as a report indicated at least one top official in Tehran sought to resume nuclear talks with the US. The actions in Iran have drawn criticism from members of Congress. We heard from Madeleine Dean, Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania. She spoke to Bloomberg's Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz on Balance of Power. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Israel began striking targets across Iran, with President Donald Trump urging Iranians to overthrow the government in a conflict that threatens to spiral across the oil-rich Middle East. “The hour for your freedom is at hand,” Trump said, addressing Iranians in a video posted on Truth Social on Saturday. “When we’re finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.” The military campaign could be a defining moment for Trump, risking a drawn-out regional war that leads to a surge in energy prices and American casualties ahead of mid-term elections this year. Iran quickly responded by firing missiles on Israel and US bases around the region, and countries in the Persian Gulf closed their airspace. Israel’s military said the campaign would target “dozens of military targets,” and Iran media reported strikes on defensive and civilian sites, including more than 50 people dead in a strike on a school in Hormozgan, in the south of the country. Several large explosions were reported in the capital, Tehran. Bloomberg's David Gura and Christina Ruffini lead our team coverage in this instant reaction podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to the February jobs report, along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to "Made in Europe" the tagline of a new scheme to rejuvenate Europe's defense, energy, and manufacturing sectors. In Asia – a look ahead to China PMI data. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Japanese tech stocks showed mixed performance today, with the broader market experiencing modest movements and individual tech names displaying varied results. Also, a Tokyo inflation gauge eased to the slowest pace in more than a year as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's utility subsidies curbed household energy costs. We speak to Alice French, Bloomberg's Japan Stocks Reporter.. Plus - US and Iranian officials ended the latest round of nuclear talks in Geneva on Thursday by agreeing to reconvene as soon as next week, opening the door to further diplomacy even as President Donald Trump masses military forces in the region. With just days to go before Trump's deadline to reach an agreement, the two sides agreed to resume discussions at a technical level in Vienna. Oil pared gains given the prospect of more talks, though there was no public reaction from the US side, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. A person familiar with the US position said the Americans were leaving Geneva disappointed with the progress of the talks. Axios reported earlier that Kushner and Witkoff were disappointed by what they heard from Iranian officials in their morning session. We heard from Mara Rudman, Miller Center Practitioner Senior Fellow and Former US Deputy Envoy and Chief of Staff for the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace. She spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia gave another bullish forecast for quarterly revenue. CEO Jensen Huang said the enterprise adoption of AI agents is skyrocketing. That suggests it's not just hyperscalers buying Nvidia's products, corporations are as well. Fiscal first-quarter sales will be about $78 billion, the chipmaker said in a statement Wednesday. Though the average Wall Street estimate was $72.8 billion, some analysts had projected numbers approaching $80 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. To break down the latest earnings, we spoke to Daniel Newman, CEO at the Futurum Group. Plus - Asian shares climbed for a fourth day as recent turmoil sparked by concerns over the impact of artificial intelligence subsided, though gains were tempered by a muted response to Nvidia Corp.'s upbeat sales forecast. We heard from Kieran Calder, Head of Equity Research for Asia at UBP. He spoke to Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Asian markets are outperforming the US and Europe, drawing global investors into AI supply-chain names such as chipmakers in South Korea and Taiwan. By contrast, US equities are under pressure as lingering uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariffs and fears of AI-driven disruption prompt traders to shed shares of companies seen as vulnerable to displacement. For more on the markets, we speak to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - for additional analysis on the AI trade, we heard from Aoifinn Devitt, Managing Director at Moneta Global Wealth. She spoke to Bloomberg's Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn on the 'Asia Trade'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early moves on Monday indicated investors were beginning to price in a higher risk premium for US assets. Hours after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping reciprocal tariffs on Friday, President Donald Trump imposed a new 10% global levy and vowed to use other powers to maintain his signature tariff policies. On Saturday, he said he will raise that new tariff to 15%, stoking fresh economic turbulence. For more on what this means for the markets, we speak to Carol Schleif, Chief Market Strategist at BMO Private Wealth. Plus - Senior US officials said President Donald Trump's tariff defeat at the Supreme Court won't unravel deals negotiated with US partners. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said those deals remain in place and the administration will stand by them, expecting partners to do the same. The European Parliament's trade chief plans to propose freezing the EU's ratification of a trade deal with the US until the Trump administration clarifies its policy. So what does that mean for China? We hear from Sean Stein, President at the US-China Business Council. He spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from chipmaker Nvidia along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to a special election in the UK. In Asia – a look ahead to India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Israel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities fell and oil rose to its highest level since August as escalating tensions in Iran weighed on sentiment. We get perspective from Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - The US military is stationing a vast array of forces in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets and refueling tankers, with President Donald Trump saying that Iran had 10 to 15 days at most to strike a deal over its nuclear program. We heard from Barbara Slavin, Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center. She spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sanae Takaichi was reappointed as Japan's Prime Minister following her resounding electoral win, a formality that allows her to turn her attention to expediting passage of the annual budget and implementing a trade deal agreed with US President Donald Trump. Shifting drinking patterns and rising health concerns are leading to a long term decline in alcohol consumption worldwide. Many liquor companies are being forced to diversify. Kirin is no exception. It is a Japanese beer company. The company is diversifying and making a full scale push into health sciences to help drive growth. We heard from Toru Yoshimura, Senior Executive Officer at Kirin. He spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong. Plus - A rebound in stocks gained traction amid easing jitters around artificial-intelligence disruption while a slew of data showed the US economy is holding up. We spoke to Tim Pagliara, Chief Investment Officer, CapWealth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan plans to invest $36 billion in US oil, gas and critical mineral projects, the first tranche of its $550 billion commitment under the trade agreement it struck with President Donald Trump. "Our MASSIVE Trade Deal with Japan has just launched!" Trump posted Tuesday on social media. "The scale of these projects are so large, and could not be done without one very special word, TARIFFS." The most significant investment is a natural gas facility in Ohio that's expected to generate 9.2 gigawatts of power, according to a statement from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a massive project which Trump described as "the largest in History." We spoke to Isabel Reynolds, Bloomberg's Tokyo Bureau Chief. Plus - Traders struggling to assess the outlook for artificial intelligence whipsawed stocks in another volatile session on Wall Street. We spoke to Jed Ellerbroek, Portfolio Manager at Argent Capital Management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks were poised for a subdued start Tuesday, with holiday-thinned trading keeping volumes light as investors await a fresh round of economic data later this week for direction. Mainland China and Hong Kong are shut for Lunar New Year holidays. Investors are also paying attention to the shifts in sentiment around artificial intelligence, which may reverberate far beyond the technology sector with the emergence of the so-called AI scare trade. We speak to Stephanie Leung, Chief Investment Officer at StashAway. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Japan's economic output in the fourth quarter of 2025 was much weaker than expected, registering anemic growth after a deep contraction in the previous period, underscoring the case for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's proactive spending policies following her election triumph. For more on the latest reading and the market moves, we spoke to Mark Cranfield, Bloomberg's MLIV Strategist. Plus - we go to earnings news. In Australia, the country's biggest steel maker, BlueScope said its first half net profit more than doubled. The company signaled higher payouts to shareholders over the next 12 months. BlueScope Steel recently rejected a takeover bid by conglomerate SGH and U.S. steelmaker 'Steel Dynamics'. For more on the latest results, we heard from Tania Archibald, CEO of BlueScope. She spoke to Bloomberg's Paul Allen and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Europe’s fate is intertwined with the US while faulting the continent for what he said was a drift away from their shared Western values. The double-edged message offered some reassurance to allied leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference but did little to temper their push for more independence from Washington. “We want Europe to prosper because we’re interconnected in so many different ways, and because our alliance is so critical,” Rubio told Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait on the sidelines of the conference on Saturday. “But it has to be an alliance of allies that are capable and willing to fight for who they are and what’s important.”“What is it that binds us together? Ultimately, it’s the fact that we are both heirs to the same civilization, and it’s a great civilization,” he said. “It’s one we should be proud of.”Rubio’s comments elaborated on a speech he delivered to the event, Europe’s premier annual security gathering, earlier Saturday morning. The speech was the most anticipated of the three-day conference, with fellow leaders eager to hear if he would double down on the contemptuous tone voiced a year earlier by Vice President JD Vance at the same venue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to what to expect from homebuilders in the months ahead along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to UK jobs data. In Asia – a look ahead to the Lunar New Year Holiday in China. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian equities retreated from a record after concerns over the impact of artificial intelligence on various sectors spurred a selloff in US technology stocks. Gold rebounded. For more on what is moving the markets, we turn to Winnie Hsu, Bloomberg's Asia Equities Reporter. The US and Taiwan finalized a trade agreement to cut tariffs, boost market access for American products in Asia and channel billions of dollars into US energy and technology projects. Plus - for more broader market perspective on AI concerns, we heard from Julia Wang, Nomura International Wealth Management North Asia CIO. She spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. US payrolls rose in January by the most in more than a year and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell, suggesting the labor market continued to stabilize at the start of 2026. Employers added 130,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate declined to 4.3%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The January data reinforces Federal Reserve officials' inclination to keep interest rates on hold for now, with many traders pushing out their timeline for the next rate cut to July from June. To break down the latest jobs report, we turn to Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist for LPL Financial. Plus - Japanese stocks gained when trading reopened after a public holiday. For more on the markets, we speak to Charu Chanana, Chief Investment Strategist at Saxo Bank.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks gained in the run-up to the US jobs data after weak retail sales reinforced bets that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates later this year. Treasury futures held their gains Wednesday after 10-year bond yields dropped to the lowest in about a month in the US session. There will be no cash trading in Treasuries during the Asian day as Japan is closed for a holiday. Gold, which typically benefits when rates are cut, rose 0.5% as money markets see slightly higher odds of three Fed cuts this year — with two already fully priced in. For more, we speak to David Finnerty, Bloomberg FX and Rates Strategist in Singapore. Plus - in China, the consumer-price index rose just 0.2% in January from a year earlier — a slowdown caused largely by base effects — after a 0.8% rise in December. Core CPI, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, climbed 0.8%, its lowest level in six months. We got reaction to the latest reading from Robin Xing, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley. He spoke to Bloomberg's David Ingles and Minmin Low.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Asian stocks extended their rally to a fresh record as a rebound in US technology shares gathered pace, easing pressure on markets after worries over outsized spending on artificial intelligence. The moves in equities signaled easing concerns around the AI trade that came to a head in the past two weeks, lashing software companies and casting a pall over high-spending tech companies. While that plays out, traders are now bracing for key US economic data that may shape expectations for the Federal Reserve's interest-rate path. For more on what is moving the markets, we turn to Ross Mayfield, Investment Strategist at Baird. Plus - Treasuries edged higher to open a consequential week, with traders awaiting readings on the labor market and inflation for signals on the strength of the US economy. However, there is still pressure on the dollar. We heard from Carie Li, Global Market Strategist at DBS. She spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong on the Asia Trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic election triumph, positioning her as the nation’s strongest leader in the postwar era. The LDP secured a two-thirds super majority in the 465-seat lower house by itself, giving it a higher proportion of representatives in the lower house than any other party in post-war Japan. The outcome gives Takaichi a mandate to push ahead with bold spending plans and a more assertive stance on the international stage. Shuntaro Takeuchi, Portfolio Manager at Matthews Asia discusses what the election's outcome means for markets. This week will see key data points on the American economy, including a slightly delayed employment report for the month of January. Greg Halter, Director of Research at Carnegie Investment Counsel, discusses the price action and the week ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to S jobs and CPI data, along with a focus on 3 stocks for the week ahead. In the UK – a look ahead to International Energy Week in London. In Asia – a look ahead to Softbank Earnings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.