The Governor of the South African Central Bank: Global economic growth is expected to remain roughly at 2.6% in 2023 and 2.7% in 2024.

South African Central Bank Governor Konyago: We expect that markets in major developed economies will continue to be volatile. Economic growth in the United States remains stronger than in Europe. Higher long-term policy rates and prolonged fiscal conditions are expected to weigh on economic growth prospects for some time.

Cryptocurrency company stocks were lower in pre-market trading as Bitcoin fell for a second day in a row.

According to Interfax: Russia will not buy surplus grain as reserves but will export it.

ECB Governing Council member Vujcic reiterated Croatia’s economic growth forecast for 2023 at 2.9%.

ECB Governing Council member Vujcic: Croatia’s economic growth will slow down in 2024 and 2025.

Splunk (SPLK.O) rose more than 20% before the market opened, after Cisco (CSCO.O) announced that it would spend $28 billion to acquire Splunk.

Kremlin: There is no clear information about unblocking the transportation corridors in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

According to AFP: Armenia stated that it has no preparations for a large-scale evacuation from the Naka region. Previously, Azerbaijan claimed to have regained full control of the disputed area.

Spot palladium fell 2.00% on the day and is now at $1,241.91 per ounce.

Former St. Louis Fed President Bullard: If you can keep inflation falling while the economy is fairly strong, you set yourself up here for a productivity boom and a very strong period thereafter.

Former St. Louis Fed President Bullard: I think the economy has changed. Information spreads very fast. Decisions are made much faster now than in the 1960s and 1950s, and they are more forward-looking than in the 1960s and 1950s.

The Baltic Dry Index fell 0.95% to 1,569 points.

The Australian dollar AUD/USD fell to 0.64, down 0.76% on the day.

Cisco (CSCO.O) fell more than 5% in premarket after announcing the acquisition of Splunk.

Cisco (CSCO.O) is buying technology company Splunk for $157 per share in cash to help it become more secure and resilient in an AI-driven world; the acquisition will not affect its buyback or dividend plans.