According to Axios, nuclear talks between Iran and the United States are scheduled to be held on Friday in Oman. The meeting, which was initially planned to take place in Turkey, was moved to Oman at Iran’s request. The talks could play a decisive role for the region and Iran’s economy. Despite news of the negotiations, domestic markets appear to remain skeptical about their outcome.

China’s central bank lowered its one-year lending rate to banks to the lowest level on record in order to reduce financing costs and support economic growth. According to informed sources, the People’s Bank of China, PBOC, reduced the medium-term lending facility, MLF, rate to 1.5 percent in January, down from 1.55 percent in December. The central bank has not changed its policy rate since May 2025 and has opted for a gradual and low-profile approach rather than shock measures to support a fragile economy. This rate cut comes as China’s economy faces deflationary pressures and a prolonged downturn in the property sector.

Thomas Barkin, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said last year’s interest rate cuts helped support the labor market. He emphasized that bringing inflation back to the 2 percent target will require further effort. Barkin noted that while economic trends remain positive, job growth is concentrated in a few sectors and inflation remains above the central bank’s target.

Stephen Miran, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, said the current restrictive interest rate should be reduced by more than 1 percentage point this year. Miran, who opposed the central bank’s decision to hold rates steady last week, stated, “I do not see strong inflationary pressures in the economy, and I believe rates have been kept too high.” He has previously criticized gradual rate cuts and called for larger reductions.