Renewed tensions between the United States and Russia have resurfaced following an incident involving an oil tanker, sparking market concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies. Washington's move, associated with tightening oversight and enforcement of sanctions on Russian oil shipments, is viewed by Moscow as provocative and could worsen relations between the two countries. Russia views these actions as an attempt by the United States to suppress Russian energy exports and strengthen its dominance in the global oil market. Meanwhile, Washington argues that these measures...
Hong Kong shares rose 165 points, or 0.7%, to 23,399 in early trading on Friday, snapping a three-day losing streak amid broad sector gains. The market recovered from a three-week low after China's central bank kept its main lending rate unchanged, as expected, following a record cut in May aimed at boosting the economy and offsetting the impact of rising U.S. tariffs. Sentiment was further boosted by hopes that China's top legislature could recommend fresh stimulus measures during the early July session. However, for the week, the Hang Seng is on track for its first decline in three terms,...
The Nikkei 225 rose 0.4% to above 38,600 on Friday, recovering some of the previous session's losses as investors digested Japan's latest inflation figures. Headline inflation eased slightly to 3.5% in May from 3.6% in the previous two months, the lowest level since November 2024. However, core inflation, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, rose for a third straight month to 3.7%, the highest since January 2023. This reinforced expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue to tighten monetary policy in response to persistent inflationary pressures. Externally, geopolitical...
Hong Kong stocks dropped sharply on Thursday after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of "meaningful" inflation ahead, and investors grew concerned about potential US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. The Hang Seng Index lost 472.95 points, or 2.0%, to close at 23,237.74, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 183.25 points, or 2.1%, to 8,410.94. The US central bank left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and penciled in two cuts by the end of 2025. While the Fed expects two rate reductions in 2025, it trimmed its growth forecast and raised its inflation...
The STOXX 50 fell 0.7% to 5,230 points on Thursday, while the broader STOXX 600 dropped 0.6%, as market sentiment was dampened by ongoing tensions in the Middle East and concerns over potential U.S. involvement. Investors also reacted to the latest U.S. Federal Reserve decision. The conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate, with U.S. President Trump warning that the U.S. could potentially join Israeli airstrikes on Tehran. At the same time, Trump noted that Iranian officials have expressed interest in holding talks, while EU leaders are scheduled to engage in nuclear...
The Nikkei 225 fell 1.02% to close at 38,488 on Thursday, while the broader Topix index dropped 0.58% to 2,792, ending a three-day rally as rising geopolitical risks dampened investor sentiment. Market jitters mounted amid reports that the U.S. was preparing for a potential attack on Iran, raising concerns about broader instability in the Middle East. The selloff followed the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to leave interest rates unchanged and maintain a cautious stance, citing inflation risks related to President Donald Trump's tariffs. On the domestic front, investors are turning their...
Asian stock markets fell in unison on Thursday, following Wall Street's decline. A brief rally in tech stocks led by Nvidia quickly faded, prompting investors to turn away from riskier assets like...
European stock indices closed marginally lower on Wednesday as equities took a breather from their recent strong momentum, while investors continued to assess the outlook for the ECB's policy this...
The upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump's massive tariffs, which rocked markets in April, is one of the next major tests for US stocks and bonds.
Equity markets...