The White House is tightening its pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the U.S. government shutdown enters its second week, saying it will give them another chance to agree on a spending bill before beginning mass layoffs of federal employees. With the Senate scheduled to vote Monday night for the fifth time on a stopgap bill to keep the government operating until November 21, Kevin Hassett, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, argued that it's time for Democrats to be "reasonable." Trump has said he will use the government shutdown to lay off thousands more federal employees, who...
Japanese stocks opened lower, with the Topix declining for the first day in 10 as the yen held steady after the FOMC meeting. The Topix Index fell 0.5% to 2,681.86 as of 9:35 a.m. Tokyo time. It's the first day of losses since April 21 Sony Group contributed the most to declines in the index, down 2.9% Out of 1,689 stocks in the Topix, 327 rose and 1,314 fell, while 48 were unchanged The Nikkei shed 0.2% to 36,701.35 The yen was trading at 143.74 against the dollar early in Tokyo, compared with 143.83 Wednesday morning, despite initially weakening after Federal...
The S&P 500 rose in choppy trading after the Federal Reserve signaled that the risks for an economic slowdown and higher prices are increasing. The broad market index added 0.43% to close at 5,631.28, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.27% to end at 17,738.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 284.97 points, or 0.70%, and settled at 41,113.97. The 30-stock index was aided by a nearly 11% pop in Disney shares after the company reported a fiscal second-quarter earnings beat and a surprise jump in streaming subscribers. As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee held its...
The Federal Reserve kept the funds rate at 4.25%–4.50% for a third consecutive meeting in May 2025, in line with expectations, as officials adopt a wait-and-see approach amid concerns that President Trump's tariffs could drive up inflation and slow economic growth. Policymakers noted that uncertainty about the economic outlook has increased further and that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen. The Fed also said that that although swings in net exports have affected the data, recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand at a solid pace....
US stocks were slightly higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 adding 0.2%, Nasdaq rising 0.1% and the Dow Jones increasing about 170 points, rebounding after two consecutive sessions of losses. Investor sentiment was lifted by news that official US-China trade talks are set to take place this weekend in Switzerland, with Treasury Secretary Bessent saying the meeting will focus on de-escalation rather than securing a deal. However, it could mark a first step toward resolving trade disputes and reducing tariffs. Meanwhile, traders are eagerly awaiting the FOMC decision later today, with...
The Hang Seng edged up 29 points or 0.1% to finish at 22,692 on Wednesday, aiming for the fifth straight session of gains, mainly helped by strength in property and financial stocks. Investors assessed the PBOC's plan to cut the RRR by 50bps as part of efforts to boost growth and counter trade headwinds. Meanwhile, U.S. futures jumped on bets that the Fed will hold interest rates steady for the third meeting later today, amid easing inflation and a strong labor market. Also in focus, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent and trade chief Greer are set to meet with China's top economic officials in...
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...
Hamas officials were in Egypt on Monday (October 6th) ahead of talks with Israel that the US hopes will lead to an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, despite contentious issues such...