Barclays flags strongest stock buy signal in a year as sentiment resetsFed set to hold as Deutsche Bank flags geopolitics clouding outlookChina approves Nvidia H200 AI chip sales as licences granted to multiple firmsChina firms ramp up FX hedging as yuan strength threatens export earningsPBOC sets USD/ CNY mid-point today at 6.8909 (vs. estimate at 6.8798)India is working with Iran to secure safe passage for key fuel shipments through Hormuz,Projectile strikes near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, no damage reportedJapan exports beat forecasts but lose momentum from prior surgeAustralia leading index steady. Growth outlook softens to below trend on rate hikes & warJapan firms set for strong wage hikes as labour shortages persist, outlook uncertainJapan manufacturers sentiment hits four-year high, but outlook dims on Middle East risksIraq, KRG agree to resume Ceyhan oil exports as Hormuz disruption tightens supplyRBA hikes to 4.10%. Split decision. Inflation risks & demand pressures. Where to now?Recap: RBA lifts rate to 4.1%. Split decision. Inflation risks & capacity pressures buildPrivate survey inventory shows a huge headline crude oil build much larger than expectedUS weighs easing Venezuela oil sanctions to boost supply amid global disruptionsUS major indices close higher for the 2nd consecutive day. Gains led by small-cap stocks.investingLive Americas market news wrap: A divergence appears between oil and stocksAt a glance:Iran launches retaliatory strikes after Larijani killingOil slips despite tensions, no fresh escalation signalsMixed US inventory data: crude build, gasoline drawJapan exports slow; US auto shipments and China demand weakenJapan–US to announce ¥11tn+ investment packageFX subdued ahead of Fed; BoJ decision due ThursdayBoth Fed and BoJ expected to hold policy steadyChina firms reportedly approved to buy Nvidia H200 chipsWar-driven inflation risks rising, but growth headwinds buildingIran launched retaliatory strikes on Israel and US-linked assets following the killing of security chief Ali Larijani in an airstrike, though oil prices edged lower as markets saw no clear sign of further escalation or de-escalation. Price action was also weighed by mixed US private inventory data, with a larger-than-expected crude build offset by a deeper-than-forecast draw in gasoline. Official inventory data will follow on Wednesday morning US time. Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government agreed to resume Ceyhan oil exports.In Japan, export growth slowed, reflecting weaker auto shipments to the US and softer demand from China amid Lunar New Year disruptions. Separately, Japan and the US are expected to unveil a joint statement outlining more than ¥11 trillion in additional investment commitments, marking a second tranche of economic cooperation.Major FX pairs traded in subdued ranges ahead of today’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decision, with markets also looking ahead to the Bank of Japan policy announcement on Thursday (Japan time). Both central banks are widely expected to leave rates unchanged.In tech, multiple Chinese firms were reportedly granted approval to purchase NVIDIA H200 AI chips, suggesting some easing at the margin in cross-border semiconductor flows.Looking ahead, once the Fed decision passes, attention is likely to shift more fully to the economic implications of the Iran conflict. While the policy tone may lean hawkish with renewed emphasis on inflation risks, particularly via energy, there is a growing recognition that downside risks to employment and household income are also building. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.