Statistics Korea on Wednesday showed August CPI YoY +3.1% (July +2.8%), below economists' median +3.2%. Core inflation excluding food and energy accelerated to 3.4% from 2.6%, the highest since May 2023, signaling persistent underlying price pressure beyond energy and reinforcing the Bank of Korea's case for further tightening.

White House deputy press secretary Taylor Rogers said after a closed-door meeting with oil executives including Chevron and Marathon that refiners want to expand capacity and President Trump pressed for lower pump prices. Exxon did not attend; the meeting focused on refining rather than drilling. Rogers said Venezuelan crude is already being shipped to Texas and Louisiana and that low-cost barrels should start entering the market in November, with millions of barrels expected by early next year if schedules hold.

Eurozone August core CPI preliminary m/m +0.2% (prior 0.0%).