China's Xi and Spain’s King vow deeper ties, citing a trusted strategic partnershipChinese state media is paying out on Japan PM Takaichi, "spewing sh*t"Huawei gains state backing as chip shortages worsen under U.S. curbsFed's Barr speech in Singapore - no comment on monetary policy or his economic outlookRBA’s Hauser says policy likely still restrictive but under review amid uneven dataNomura expects Fed to pause in December as labour market stays firmMcDonald’s flags pressure from SNAP freeze as shutdown squeezes low-income consumersFed divisions widen as inflation-versus-jobs debate clouds path to rate cutsChinese banks inflate lending data with short-term “phantom” loansTrump plans new offshore oil drilling near California and AlaskaGoldman forecasts 50,000 U.S. job loss in October, first since 2020PBOC sets USD/ CNY mid-rate at 7.0833 (vs. estimate at 7.1141)White House explores overhaul of shareholder voting rulesBeware of the triple top in goldTrump says is going to lower some tariffs on coffeeAustralian Q3 housing finance jumps higher: Home loans +9.6% q/q (+2.6% expected)Goldman delays China ‘dual cut’ to 2026, expects gradual yuan appreciationRBA Assistant Governor (Financial System) Brad Jones says markets struggling to price riskState Street risk appetite index eases to neutral as investors turn defensiveReuters November Tankan shows manufacturing sentiment improving, services stableUBS targets S&P 500 at 7,300 as Fed cuts and AI spending extend U.S. equity rallyReserve managers drift from dollar into smaller currencies, Standard Chartered saysJapan’s government bond yields surge to highest in years, signalling regime shiftChina to restrict U.S. military access with new rare-earth export systeminvestingLive Americas market news wrap: Weekly ADP employment coolsDow stocks lead the winners. Nasdaq moves lower. S&P modestly higherJapan’s manufacturing sentiment surged to its highest since early 2022, led by autos and electronics as a weak yen and strong chip demand buoyed exporters. The service-sector mood held firm, though firms warned that Trump’s tariff policies could cloud the export outlook.The upbeat Reuters Tankan survey reinforced expectations the Bank of Japan will remain patient on policy normalisation, with the weak yen continuing to support exports and equities, particularly in autos and tech. Even so, both the yen and Nikkei retreated during the session, with USD/JPY touching nine-month highs above 154.60. The sell-off wasn’t confined to Japan: the South Korean won also slid to its lowest since April 9.In Australia, home loans surged beyond expectations in Q3 to a record high, marking the fastest increase since Q1 2021. The rise underscores how easier monetary conditions have reignited credit growth and property demand—giving the Reserve Bank yet another reason to stay cautious on policy easing.Later, RBA Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser said policy remains restrictive but under review, with the board debating how tight conditions still are. He downplayed the consumer sentiment rebound, noting consumption shows only a modest, gradual recovery. His remarks reinforced expectations that the RBA will hold rates steady well into 2026, maintaining a mildly restrictive stance until clearer evidence of durable disinflation and stable growth emerges.The Australian dollar eased alongside other majors amid a broader USD advance, with EUR, GBP, and NZD also weaker against the greenback.Asia-Pacstocks:Japan(Nikkei 225) -0.1%HongKong (Hang Seng) +0.6% HongKong stocks pushed to near a 1-month high ShanghaiComposite -0.2%Australia(S&P/ASX 200) -0.1%Gold dropped back from a triple top circa US$4145. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.