Oil prices stabilized on Thursday (February 12th), as the market reassigned a risk premium to US-Iran tensions despite US inventory data showing swelling domestic supplies. This movement confirms one thing: geopolitical headlines are still more "noise" than signals of a short-term surplus. As of 3:50 PM WIB, Brent was at $69.60/barrel (+0.29%) and WTI was at $64.83/barrel (+0.31%). The gains were moderate, but enough to keep prices near the psychological $70 level for Brent. From a geopolitical perspective, market focus is on the potential for escalation in the Middle East. Recent reports...
Japanese stocks closed slightly lower on Thursday, as trading resumed after a holiday. Investors remained cautious after a senior Japanese currency official emphasized that the government remains vigilant in monitoring foreign exchange movements, despite the yen's recent strengthening and the dollar's weakening trend. The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.02%, or around 10.7 points, to 57,639.84. The cautious statement came from Atsushi Mimura, a Japanese currency diplomacy official, who said authorities remain "on high alert" and are in constant communication with the US regarding market...
The Hang Seng Index extended its rally for the third consecutive day in the latest trading session in Hong Kong on Wednesday (February 11). The index rose 0.3%, or 83.23 points, to close at 27,266.38, marking its highest closing level since January 30. This consistent increase indicates that risk-on sentiment remains intact, although the strengthening tends to be gradual. In terms of movers, Xiaomi Corp. was the biggest supporter of the index, with its shares surging 4.3%. Xiaomi's rise contributed significantly due to its large weighting in the index and reflected the renewed market...
Japanese stocks have hit record highs again in recent days, driven by political optimism following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory and expectations of a more aggressive economic agenda. The Nikkei 225 index broke through new psychological levels, surpassing 56,000, 57,000, and even approaching 58,000 in a rally often referred to by the market as the "Takaichi trade." However, some observers believe this rally is potentially fragile due to the growing gap between surging stock prices and economic fundamentals. On Tuesday, the Nikkei briefly touched 57,960, and the index is...
The Hang Seng continued to strengthen on Tuesday (February 10th), rising 156 points (0.6%) to close at 27,183. This marked a second consecutive day of gains, with most sectors contributing to the market's rise a sign that risk appetite is returning, although it hasn't completely emerged from "cautious" mode. Sentiment boosted by Wall Street, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit another record on Monday. The market also began to position itself ahead of a series of crucial US economic data, including the previously delayed payrolls report. Meanwhile, Chinese markets also rallied on...
The Nikkei closed at another record high, continuing its rally after hitting an all time high in the previous session. This increase was driven by market optimism regarding the policy direction of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, particularly following the results of the lower house elections, which were seen as strengthening her government's chances of a longer term. J.P. Morgan predicts the Takaichi administration has the potential to be long term and is pushing for the acceleration of policies dubbed "Sanaenomics." This concept leads to a proactive fiscal policy while still paying...
Hong Kong stocks surged on Monday morning. The Hang Seng Index rose 488 points, or around 1.8%, to 27,051, rebounding after weakening in the previous session. Sentiment was also lifted by Wall Street. Friday's rally pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average past 50,000 for the first time, providing a tailwind for Asian markets. Investors also began to focus more on US growth prospects and the possibility of a Fed interest rate cut, rather than worrying too much about AI spending. Locally, there was some upbeat news: Hong Kong's foreign exchange reserves reportedly reached a three year...
Japanese stocks rose sharply in Tokyo after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's victory in Sunday's election fueled expectations of increased government spending. This optimism immediately lifted the Nikkei 225 index to a new record, while the Topix index also reached its highest peak. In morning trading, the Nikkei rose around 4% and the Topix rose more than 2%. The gains were led by the electronics and banking sectors, as investors sought stocks considered most likely to benefit from the government's spending on industrial strategies such as government spending and AI. Takaichi's ruling...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....