From Washington to Tokyo: Trump negotiations, African protests, and Japan ambitions

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Trump–Zelensky meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would host Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on October 17, according to the Financial Times. This will be the first meeting between the two leaders following a series of statements about a potential expansion of U.S. military and economic support for Ukraine.

During his remarks at the White House, Trump briefly answered “Yes” to a reporter’s question about the upcoming visit without elaborating on the agenda. Earlier, Zelensky confirmed that the invitation came directly from the American president.

Ceasefire in Gaza

In Sharm El-Sheikh, Trump, along with representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, signed an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.

The peace accord includes a prisoner exchange and the gradual restoration of humanitarian corridors. European leaders were also present at the signing ceremony, according to Deutsche Welle.

Madagascar’s president flees amid protests

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina fled the country after mass protests and military defections. According to Reuters, the head of state left aboard a French military aircraft after the elite CAPSAT unit refused to open fire on demonstrators.

France has not yet confirmed its role in the evacuation, though President Emmanuel Macron stated that constitutional order must be preserved. The unrest, which began on September 25 over water and power shortages, has since escalated into a full-scale political crisis.

SoftBank prepares PayPay IPO

SoftBank is in talks with investors about listing its Japanese fintech arm, PayPay, in the United States as early as December. Investors value the company between $13 billion and $20 billion, making it one of the largest Japanese IPOs in recent years.

PayPay dominates Japan’s QR payment market and is expanding into crypto services: the company recently acquired a 40% stake in Binance’s Japanese business to launch joint crypto products, CNBC reports.

Summary of the day

October 13 was marked by a series of key developments reflecting an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. The United States secured a ceasefire in Gaza with the participation of Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey and is preparing for Donald Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling Washington’s renewed role as an active diplomatic mediator. In Africa, a crisis deepened as Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina fled the country after a military mutiny and mass protests — another episode in a growing wave of global instability. On the financial front, SoftBank’s upcoming PayPay IPO in the United States, valued at over $20 billion, highlights the shift of financial gravity toward American markets. Together, these events suggest that the world is entering a new phase in which politics, economics, and technology are deeply intertwined — and leaders’ decisions are immediately reflected in the movement of markets and capital.

Market reaction

Global markets remain cautious as investors weigh trade signals from Washington and Beijing, assessing the likelihood of a renewed conflict between the world’s two largest economies.

Asian equities traded mixed on Tuesday. The MSCI Asia-Pacific Index moved in a narrow range, with early gains fading after reports that Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are preparing to meet in late October. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.4%, CSI 300 slipped 0.1%, while Taiwan’s market rose 0.8% as TSMC hit a record high following news of a partnership with OpenAI and Broadcom. South Korea’s Kospi added 0.6% on strong Samsung Electronics earnings, while Japan’s Nikkei declined 1.2% after reopening from a holiday.

Currencies reflected a flight to safety. The U.S. dollar weakened after Beijing announced countermeasures against five Hanwha Ocean subsidiaries and new port fees. The yen strengthened to ¥151.86, the Swiss franc gained 0.2%, and the euro held steady at $1.1585. The Australian and New Zealand dollars fell 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively, mirroring weaker risk appetite.

Gold surged to a record $4,179 per ounce, up 1.7%, while December futures rose to $4,187. The metal has climbed 57% year-to-date, driven by expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts, geopolitical tension, and strong central bank demand. Silver jumped 2.2% to $53.6, also marking a record. Analysts at Bank of America and Societe Generale forecast gold could reach $5,000 by 2026.

Oil extended moderate gains on hopes of easing rhetoric between the U.S. and China. Brent rose 0.4% to $63.5, and WTI climbed to $59.7 per barrel. Market sentiment improved after signs of dialogue, though new Chinese export restrictions and tariff threats from Trump limited optimism.

Cryptocurrencies remained under pressure. Bitcoin fell 1.9% to $113,629 and later corrected below $112,600, erasing nearly $500 billion in market capitalization since Trump’s announcement of 100% tariffs on China. Ethereum dropped 3–5%, trading near $4,100. As trade tensions rise, investors continue to favor gold and traditional safe-haven assets.

The weekend underscored the strain on global diplomacy: Washington seeks to balance trade with Beijing, intensify pressure on Moscow, and secure a breakthrough in Middle Eastern peace efforts. Meanwhile, China’s stronger-than-expected trade data highlight the contrast between political turbulence and the region’s economic resilience.

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