🌍 International Financial Markets Morning Brief (May 29, 2026) 【Macro & Central Banks: Inflation Pressures Persist as US and Europe Signal Hawkish Stance】 Overnight data showed that the US core PCE price index for April rose 3.8% year-on-year, hitting a nearly three-year high. Coupled with an unexpected rise in initial jobless claims, market concerns over sticky inflation continue to heat up. New York Fed President Williams and St. Louis Fed President Musalem both weighed in, clearly stating that inflation is likely to remain elevated in the near term, and the possibility of future interest rate hikes cannot be ruled out if price pressures fail to ease as expected. Across the Atlantic, minutes from the ECB's April meeting similarly revealed that some officials are leaning towards raising rates, with the policy discussion shifting from "whether to hike" to "when is the most appropriate time." In Asia, the Bank of Korea kept its base interest rate unchanged at 2.50% for the eighth consecutive time. 【Geopolitics & Energy: US-Iran Talks Mired in Confusion, Oil Prices Swing Widely】 Tensions in the Middle East have flared up again, with conflicting reports emerging on the latest progress of US-Iran talks. While US officials claimed an agreement on a "memorandum of understanding" has been reached, Iranian representatives swiftly denied the reports. Meanwhile, the US Treasury Secretary publicly warned Oman, stating it would not tolerate any attempts to forcibly levy tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. Impacted by the geopolitical back-and-forth, international oil prices saw wide fluctuations, with WTI and Brent crude futures showing mixed results. The latest report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) noted that Middle East conflicts will have a long-term impact on future global energy investment priorities, forecasting that global oil investment will fall below 500 billion this year. 【Global Capital Markets: US Indices Hit New Highs, Precious Metals Extend Gains】 The US stock market maintained its strong momentum overnight.