If it just seems like the first Friday of the month wasn't the same without being able to pore through the Bureau of Labor Statistics' hotly watched monthly jobs report, don't worry. You probably didn't miss much. While the BLS has gone dark with the shutdown in Washington, other reports outside the government data suggest the labor market just plodded along in September. The Dow Jones consensus forecast was for growth of 51,000 in nonfarm payrolls with the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.3%. High-frequency data that includes job postings, private payrolls and state-by-state figures...
European stocks closed lower, tracking the losses for government bonds in the Eurozone as markets assessed some clarity on trade between the EU and the US, fresh economic data, and their impact on rates. The STOXX 50 fell 0.3% to the 5,459, a second decline, while the STOXX 600 was flat near the five-month high yesterday of 559. The EU and the US moved closer to formalizing their trade deal that imposes 15% US tariffs on the EU, and specified that the pharmaceuticals, autos, and metals may face the 15% tariffs instead of the steeper Section 232 levies from the US. BMW, Mercedes Benz,...
US stocks were lower on Thursday, extending the poor momentum this week as markets assessed the outlook on rates and retailers' earnings for hints on the strength of the consumer. The three main equity indices were around 0.4% down, with the Nasdaq 100 set to drop sharply this week after a tech selloff. FOMC minutes showed that most members saw inflation risks as greater than labor market risks, while policymakers showed a degree of concerns that inflation expectations could become unanchored. Tech giants remained broadly under pressure as markets showed skepticism that AI services will...
The Hang Seng Index weakened 61 points, or 0.24%, to close at 25,105 on Thursday (August 21st), reversing earlier gains after a sluggish start. Sentiment weakened as US index futures weakened, following the FOMC minutes that signaled a hawkish stance amid persistent inflation risks ahead of the Fed's Jackson Hole symposium. Chairman Powell also expressed reluctance to cut interest rates, warning of tariff-driven price pressures this summer. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that China is considering allowing yuan-backed stablecoins to encourage global currency adoption, a potential shift in its...
European equities were little changed on Thursday as investors awaited updates from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the path of monetary policy. The pan-European STOXX 600 index opens was flat as of 0704 GMT, while most major bourses were mixed. Central bankers from around the world will be at the event, and the focus will remain on Fed Chair Jerome Powell's last speech at the summit in the position for hints of possible rate cuts this year. Also on the slate later in the day are flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) data for August for the euro zone, France,...
Japanese stocks dropped for a third day, with investors remaining on the sidelines as central bankers gather in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for an eagerly awaited annual symposium. Topix Index fell 0.5% to 3,082.95 as of 3:31 p.m. Tokyo time Out of 1,679 stocks in the index, 694 rose and 911 fell, while 74 were unchanged Nikkei declined 0.6% to 42,610.17 Auto and pharmaceutical shares slumped, while profit-taking pressured sectors such as construction. Meanwhile, some AI-related stocks including Advantest were picked up by investors after Wednesday's selloff to gain...
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, tracking Wall Street gains overnight.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.41% after hitting a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Topix added 0.61%. South...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
The U.S. government shut down much of its operations on Wednesday as deep partisan divisions prevented Congress and the White House from reaching a funding deal, setting off what could be a long,...