Gold (XAU/USD) Gold (XAU/USD) regains ground on Friday, edging modestly higher after earlier weakness, even as a resilient US Dollar (USD) caps upside momentum. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades around $4,345, recovering from a daily low near $4,309. The precious metal briefly surged toward record highs on Thursday after US inflation data undershot expectations. However, gains quickly faded as softer inflation lifted risk appetite across equity markets and pushed Gold back within the range established earlier this week. That said, the downside appears limited, as a dovish Federal...
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...
Hong Kong shares plunged 273 points, or 1.2%, to 23,438 in early trading on Thursday, marking a third straight decline and hovering near a two-week low. The selloff followed a sharp drop in U.S. stock futures after Fed Chair Powell sounded a cautious note on inflation, even as the central bank kept interest rates steady for a fourth straight meeting, as widely expected. Geopolitical tensions also weighed on sentiment, with concerns growing over the potential for direct U.S. involvement in the Middle East. In China, the People's Bank of China will hold its monthly lending rate decision,...
Asia-Pacific markets fell on Thursday, as investors weighed the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates steady, while the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran continued to weigh on sentiment. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.74% while the Topix dropped 0.61%. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.34% and the small-cap Kosdaq was flat. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was flat. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.48% and mainland China's CSI 300 was flat. Investors also await decisions by the central banks of Taiwan and the Philippines later in the day. U.S. President Donald...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.7% to around 38,600, while the broader Topix index shed 0.6% to 2,791 on Thursday, ending a three-day winning streak as investors locked in profits and weighed global uncertainties. Overnight, the U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady, with policymakers taking a cautious stance amid concerns about the inflationary impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs. Geopolitical tensions are also adding to the pressure, as the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict raises concerns about expanding U.S. involvement in the Middle East. At home, investors are turning their...
Stocks in the US seesawed on Wednesday as investors reacted to the Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates unchanged and Fed Chair Powell's cautious tone amid rising geopolitical and economic uncertainty. The S&P 500 finished slightly lower, the Dow lost 44 points while, the Nasdaq added 0.1%. Powell emphasized the Fed's wait-and-see stance, citing uncertainty around the inflationary effects of President Trump's tariffs and the risk of stagflation, as officials projected two rate cuts in 2025 but downgraded growth forecasts and raised inflation expectations. Markets were...
Wall Street's main indexes ticked up on Wednesday, as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision, while the Israel-Iran attacks entered the sixth day. Investors will closely monitor Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments to gauge how he plans to combat the risk of rising prices, which remains a dominant concern for the central bank. The Fed is expected to leave rates unchanged at its meeting, scheduled later in the day. Ahead of the monetary policy decision, money market moves show traders are pricing in about 46 basis points of rate cuts by the end of 2025, with a 55%...
Hong Kong stocks declined for a second straight session on Wednesday as escalating tensions in the Middle East fueled concerns about potential supply disruptions, while investors awaited signals on new stimulus from the Lujiazui Forum. The Hang Seng Index slipped 269.61 points, or 1.1%, to 23,710.69, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 100.48 points, or 1.2%, to 8,594.19. Markets tracked developments in the Israel-Iran conflict, now in its sixth day of direct exchanges. US President Donald Trump met his national security team in Washington on Tuesday to discuss the situation,...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered near the flatline on Wednesday, as investors weighed ongoing geopolitical tensions and major central bank decisions. Markets continued to monitor the conflict between Israel and Iran, which is now in its sixth day, with no sign of a ceasefire. Concerns persisted over the potential for escalation and the possibility of greater U.S. involvement, especially after President Trump called for Iran's unconditional surrender. At the same time, traders remained cautious ahead of the Fed's monetary policy decision. While the central bank is widely expected to...
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....