Economic Preview: Key Data Releases for January 2026 (week of 19Jan2026) Martin Luther King Jr. Day In the coming week, the United States will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 19. As a result, it will be a public holiday, and financial markets in the U.S. will be closed in observance. Key Economic Releases in China On the same day, China is scheduled to release its year-on-year Gross Domestic Product (GDP) results for the fourth quarter. The forecast for this period stands at 4.4%, compared to the previous quarter’s figure of 4.8%. Monitoring these results will be important, as they may influence global market sentiment. Significant U.S. Events and Data Releases On January 21, attention will turn to the United States as President Trump is set to deliver a speech. This

Summary of “Money & Me” radio interview with Michelle Martin on MoneyFM89.3 Radio Station 1. The 2026 Outlook: A "Turning Point" Year The narrative for 2026 is one of recovery and transition. After two years of "restrictive" interest rates, the sector is entering what analysts call a two-year earnings upgrade cycle (2026–2027). 3 Key Turning Points Below: Rate Cut Impact: With the US Fed and domestic 3M SORA rates projected to settle around 1.2%–1.3% in 2026, the "cost-of-debt" drag is finally reversing. Dividend Uplift: Markets are forecasting low single digit uplift in DPU (Distribution Per Unit) as REITs replace maturing high-interest loans with cheaper financing. Price Potential: I anticipate a potential 10-15% price upside across the sector as yields normalize and the spread over

December core CPI cooled to 2.6% YoY, the lowest in four years. Yet markets barely reacted. That silence matters 👀 It signals this phase is no longer about inflation prints alone. It is about confidence, and whether growth and jobs soften enough to force the Fed's hand. With June now priced as the earliest cut, the risk is that higher for longer stretches further than portfolios expect ⚠️. What would actually shift expectations? Likely a clearer rollover in wage growth, softer non-farm payrolls, or visible cracks in services and housing. Until then, expect choppy markets and selective leadership, not a broad rally. In US financials, rate-sensitive banks like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs may consolidate after strong runs rather than surge. Healthcare tends to hold up w

Here’s a clear summary of the latest CPI report (Consumer Price Index – December 2025) from the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) official release: CPI details from official BLS website Summary by ChatGPT: 🧾 Headline Inflation (All Items) Monthly change: CPI-U (all items) rose 0.3 % in December 2025 (seasonally adjusted). Annual change: Up 2.7 % over the past 12 months (not seasonally adjusted), the same annual increase as in November. 📊 Core Inflation (Excluding Food & Energy) Core CPI increased 0.2 % in December and is up 2.6 % over the year. 🍎 Food and Energy Food prices: rose 3.1 % year-over-year, with food at home and food away from home both contributing. Energy index: up 2.3 % annually. 🔍 Major Contributors Shelter costs were the largest monthly contributor, increasing 0.4