Global Markets Brace for Key Openings and Geopolitical Shifts

Key Insights - Global financial markets are responding to significant economic data and geopolitical events, particularly the rise in gold holdings by central banks and trade tensions involving the U.S. [2] Central Bank Gold Reserves - Gold has reached a 30-year high in global central bank reserves, now comprising over 20% of total reserves, indicating a shift away from reliance on fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar [3][4] - The accumulation of gold by central banks, especially in emerging markets, is driven by de-dollarization efforts, geopolitical fragmentation, and inflation concerns [4] Asian Markets - Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is expected to open 2.5% higher, with the Hang Seng Automobile Index projected to rise by 3% [5] - The People's Bank of China injected 189 billion yuan through 7-day reverse repos at a steady interest rate of 1.40%, while draining a net 64.8 billion yuan through open market operations [6] Japanese Government Bonds - The yield on 10-year Japanese Government Bonds increased by 2.5 basis points to 1.650%, influenced by easing political uncertainty in Japan [7] U.S. Trade Policy - U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on Colombia due to drug trade tensions, cutting off subsidies to the nation [8][9]