New York: Oil prices dipped after Israel and Hamas agreed on the first phase of a ceasefire in their long-running conflict, easing some geopolitical tension and bringing relief to global markets. At the same time, investor excitement over artificial intelligence continued to lift stocks around the world. In the United States, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached record highs, driven by strong tech earnings forecasts.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei rose 1.4 percent, and Taiwan’s markets hit new peaks thanks to strong foreign investment. Chinese stocks also climbed as markets reopened after a holiday, even as Beijing introduced new export rules on rare earth metals.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates later this year, supporting gold prices which remained steady above four thousand dollars, while the U.S. dollar stayed strong against the yen. Global bond markets, however, are under pressure from rising government debt concerns.

Emerging markets saw foreign portfolio inflows slow to just over twenty-six billion dollars in September, the lowest since May. China experienced notable outflows from both equities and debt, reflecting caution amid tighter valuations and concerns about economic growth. Meanwhile, sovereign debt issuance surged to fifty billion dollars, led by Mexico.

The World Bank revised China’s GDP growth forecast for 2025 upward to 4.8 percent, citing short-term improvements, but warned of a slowdown to 4.2 percent in 2026 due to weaker exports, reduced fiscal stimulus, and structural challenges.

Despite these mixed signals, global markets remain resilient, buoyed by technological optimism, supportive monetary policies, and continued investor interest in AI-driven growth.