Stocks in Asia were higher, meantime, helped largely by the tech-related ebullience around the world.
But the cautious global central banking tone was evident around the region.
The Reserve Bank of Australia left its key interest rates at a 12-year high of 4.35% for a fifth straight meeting, but emphasized the need to be vigilant on inflation.
In a hawkish twist, the central bank said it debated whether to raise interest rates again at the meeting. A rate cut there is now not fully priced until April or May next year.
The Australian dollar, however, held steady.
Dollar/yen, meantime, continued to nudge higher even as Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank could raise interest rates next month depending on economic data available at the time.
Back on Wall St, AI-infused Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft continued to jockey for the role of the world’s most valuable company.
Apple said late on Monday it will discontinue its “buy now, pay later” service in the United States as it launches a new loan program.
Users will be able to access installment loans offered through credit, debit cards and lenders when checking out with Apple Pay, starting later this year, the company said.
On the other side of the spectrum, U.S. electric vehicle maker Fisker filed for bankruptcy protection, looking to sell its assets and restructure its debt, after succumbing to rapid cash burn to deliver its “Ocean” SUVs in the United States and Europe.
