Group 1: Gold and Silver Market - The February 2026 gold futures price on the New York Commodity Exchange closed at $4983.00 per ounce, with an increase of 1.42% [1] - Continued safe-haven demand and chart-based buying, along with strong bullish technical indicators, are driving gold and silver prices higher [1] - International gold prices are approaching $5000 per ounce, while silver prices have surged past $100 per ounce, both reaching historical highs [1] Group 2: Economic Indicators and Monetary Policy - The Bank of Japan raised its inflation expectations, leading to an increase in short-term bond yields, while long-term bond pressures are easing after significant sell-offs earlier in the week [1] - The Bank of Japan maintained its policy interest rate at 0.75% and adjusted four out of six inflation expectations in its latest quarterly outlook report, indicating potential future increases in borrowing costs [1] - Mixed economic data was released, with the University of Michigan's consumer confidence index for January 2026 at 56.4, up from 52.9 in December but down from 71.7 in January 2025 [2] - The preliminary services PMI for January was reported at 52.5, unchanged from December, while the manufacturing PMI slightly improved to 51.9 from 51.8 in December [2]

Group 1: Economic Activity - The ISM's Services PMI for July recorded at 50.1%, indicating continued economic expansion despite a slight decline from June's 50.8% [1] - The Services PMI has been in the expansion zone for 12 out of the last 13 months, reflecting resilience in the sector [1] - Business activity index for July was at 52.6%, down from 54.2% in June, but still indicates overall business activity [1] Group 2: Employment and Orders - The employment index fell to 46.4%, marking the fourth contraction in the last five months, indicating a decline in labor demand [1] - The new orders index decreased from 51.3% in June to 50.3% in July, showing a slowdown in growth but remaining in the expansion zone [1] Group 3: Supply Chain and Inflation - The supplier deliveries index was at 51%, indicating delays in supply for the eighth consecutive month, which is typically a sign of increased economic activity [2] - The prices index rose to 69.9%, the highest level since October 2022, reflecting ongoing inflationary pressures faced by businesses [2] - The inventory index was at 51.8%, while the inventory sentiment index dropped to 53.2%, indicating a slight decrease in satisfaction with current inventory levels [2] Group 4: Industry Performance - In July, 11 service industries reported growth, with transportation and warehousing, wholesale trade, and finance and insurance showing the strongest performance [3] - Seven industries reported contraction, including accommodation and food services, construction, and mining [3] - Seasonal factors and weather changes were noted as negative impacts on business, alongside supply chain pressures due to transportation congestion [3]

Group 1 - The UK services sector experienced its fastest expansion in nearly a year in June, with the final value of the Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rising from 50.9 in May to 52.8, indicating the quickest growth since August 2024 [1] - The rate of price increases in the services sector fell to its lowest level in nearly four years, suggesting that price pressures monitored by the Bank of England are easing [1] - Despite a significant increase in new business, concerns about political and economic uncertainty have led to a slight decrease in business expectations for the coming year [1][2] Group 2 - The composite PMI rose from 50.3 in May to 52.0, indicating a potential recovery in the manufacturing sector after a prolonged downturn [1] - A survey indicated that the annual wage growth rate for UK businesses reached 4.6% in Q1 2025, slightly down by 0.1 percentage points from the previous quarter [2] - 29% of UK businesses expect a decline in sales due to changes in US trade policy, highlighting the impact of global economic conditions on local enterprises [2]