US stocks rose on Thursday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.8%, the Nasdaq climbing 1.4%, and the Dow Jones adding about 66 points, after latest data showed inflation rate unexpectedly decreased. The annual inflation in the US fell to 2.7% in November, the lowest since July, below market expectations of 3.1%. Also, the core gauge fell to 2.6%, the lowest since March 2021. Although the figures remain noisy due to the absence of October data following the government shutdown, a sustained moderation in price pressures could pave the way for further Federal Reserve rate cuts next year. Consumer...
Asia-Pacific stock markets opened higher on Friday, as investors awaited a key decision from the Bank of Japan (BOJ). Markets expect the BOJ to raise interest rates to 0.75%, the highest level since 1995. LSEG data shows an 86.4% chance of a rate hike, amid efforts to curb inflation, which has long been above target. This rate hike has the potential to strengthen the yen against the US dollar and help curb inflationary pressures. The latest Japanese government data showed consumer inflation fell to 2.9% in November, while core inflation remained at 3%, in line with economists' forecasts. On...
Japan's Nikkei stock index rose 0.9% to 49,443.48 in the latest trading session, following a positive rally on Wall Street overnight. The rise was fueled by lower-than-expected US inflation data, raising investor expectations that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next year. Chris Beauchamp, an analyst at IG, said investors want to see data supporting the Fed's case for a rate cut. However, he also highlighted the risk that uncertainty about price trends could dampen market optimism about further rate cuts. In the Japanese stock market, several leading companies posted significant...