Goldman Sachs now projects two interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve next year, advancing its expectation for the first cut to the third quarter, citing cooling inflation.

The U.S. dollar rallied against Japan's yen on Monday after a report said the Bank of Japan saw little need to end negative interest rates in December, contrary to some investors' expectations.

Shares limped lower on Monday in a week packed with a quintet of rich world central bank meetings and data on U.S. inflation that could make or break market hopes for a rapid-fire round of rate cuts early next year.

China's passenger vehicle sales rose 25.5% in November from a year earlier, faster than the prior month and extending growth to a fourth month, industry data showed on Friday, as automakers stepped up a price battle to meet sales goals.

Natural Rubber (NR) production increased by 0.6 per cent in October 2023 (32,944 tonnes) as compared to September 2023 (32,757 tonnes). Year-on-year comparison showed that the production of NR increased by 3.6 per cent (October 2022: 31,795 tonnes). Production of NR in October 2023 for Malaysia was mainly contributed by smallholders sector (84.2%) as compared to estates sector (15.8%). 

Most Asian stocks rose slightly on Friday with Chinese markets recouping a measure of recent losses, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell sharply after the Bank of Japan hinted that it eventually planned to begin tightening monetary policy.