Group 1 - Morgan Stanley has raised South Korea's economic growth forecast for 2026 from 1.8% to 2.0%, primarily due to an unexpected recovery in the semiconductor industry. Despite the economic rebound, the Bank of Korea is expected to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged this year due to limited inflation pressure, projected to remain at 2.1% [1][1][1] - Fundstrat Global Advisors' research head, Tom Lee, indicated that if inflation falls to around 2.5%, it would be reasonable enough to support the Federal Reserve in starting to cut interest rates, despite ongoing tariff impacts. The current target range for the federal funds rate is 3.5%-3.75%, providing ample policy space [1][1][1] - JPMorgan strategists recommend investors to sell two-year U.S. Treasury bonds, citing that the Federal Reserve is unlikely to make significant rate cuts in the short term. The upcoming U.S. inflation report is expected to be a crucial indicator for policy direction [1][1][1] Group 2 - Fitch's BMI forecasts that the Thai Baht will weaken to approximately 32.00 against the U.S. dollar by the end of 2026. To prioritize economic growth, the Bank of Thailand may further cut interest rates by 50 basis points in 2026, bringing the policy rate down to 0.75% [2][2][2] - Analysts from Malaysia's investment bank predict that Malaysia's Q4 GDP for 2025 will be revised up from an initial estimate of 5.7% to 5.9%, driven by strong performance in the services and mining sectors. If confirmed, the annual economic growth rate will rise to 5.0% [2][2][2] - The Central Bank of Russia may maintain its benchmark interest rate at 16% during the upcoming meeting due to recent tax policy disruptions affecting inflation outlook. The bank needs time to assess the impact of fiscal policy on prices, as indicated by Governor Nabiullina [2][2][2]