Oil headed for the biggest weekly loss since late June as traders positioned for a key OPEC+ decision on supply this weekend. Brent futures edged marginally higher on Friday, but were still trading below $65 a barrel and set for a weekly slump of about 8%. Prices have declined the past four days on the expectation OPEC+ will discuss fast-tracking more supply hikes. Meanwhile, efforts by the Trump administration to keep oil exports flowing from northern Iraq, as well as a US government shutdown, have added to the bearish sentiment. The OPEC+ meeting comes as...
Hong Kong stocks rose 93 points, or 0.4%, to 26,480 in early trade on Monday, marking gains for the second session. Sentiment was supported by a modest rise in U.S. futures ahead of the Fed's policy meeting later this week, where the central bank is widely expected to cut rates by 25bps, though some traders are betting on a deeper half-point reduction amid cooling labor markets and mild inflation. Meanwhile, U.S.-China trade talks in Madrid entered their second day, signaling an intensification of diplomacy between the two countries. Tech and consumer names led the gains. However, the...
Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed as investors kept an eye on the talks between the U.S. and China in Spain, and awaited a slate of data from Beijing. U.S. and Chinese officials began talks in Madrid Sunday to discuss key national security, economic, and trade issues, including the upcoming deadline to divest Chinese short video app TikTok and U.S. tariffs. Delegations led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with their counterparts, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and China's top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang. Meanwhile, China is...
The Nasdaq Composite notched a perfect week of closing highs on Friday as investors took signs of weakening jobs and tame inflation to mean the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates next week. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed 0.44% higher to settle at 22,141.10, led by a surge in Tesla shares. The broad market S&P 500 hovered around the flatline, down just 0.05% to finish at 6,584.29. The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 273.78 points, or 0.59%, to close at 45,834.22. Having each closed at record levels Thursday, with the Dow finishing above 46,000 for the first time, the...
European stocks closed flat on Friday, after data showed the U.K. economic growth stalled in July. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was flat at 0.09% with no broad consensus movement among sectors and major bourses.Data released on Friday morning showed that the U.K. economy recorded zero growth in July, following a 0.4% economic expansion the previous month. The economic flatlining adds to the Bank of England's considerations as it prepares to update its monetary policy next week. On Thursday, the European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged in a highly anticipated move. In...
Wall Street indexes opened subdued on Friday after notching record highs in the previous session, though they remained on track to log gains in a week of economic reports that solidified expectations for interest rate cuts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 30.9 points, or 0.07%, at the open to 46,077.14. The S&P 500 rose 3.2 points, or 0.05%, to 6,590.66, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 35.6 points, or 0.16%, to 22,078.629. Source : Reuters
The Hang Seng Index rose 301 points, or 1.2%, to 26,387 on Friday (September 12), climbing for a sixth straight session to its highest level since August 2021. The index surged 3.8% for the week, its strongest weekly gain since March, amid record highs on Wall Street as rising US jobless claims reinforced speculation of a Fed rate cut next week, with further easing likely through the end of the year. Adding to the positive sentiment, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will meet with Chinese Vice President He Lifeng in Madrid next week to continue talks on trade, economic, and security...
The STOXX 50 index edged up 0.1% to 5,390 points on Friday, its highest since late August, while the broader STOXX 600 also gained 0.1% to 555 points, as a jump in US jobless claims and a modest rise in inflation reinforced expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts next week and beyond. Meanwhile, the ECB signaled its rate-cutting cycle is over, with President Lagarde saying the bank is in a "good place" and that growth risks are now more balanced. In corporate news, Banco Sabadell slipped 0.6% after its board unanimously rejected BBVA's €15 billion takeover offer, urging shareholders not...
The Nikkei 225 climbed 0.89% to close at 44,768 and the Topix added 0.4% to 3,160 on Friday, with Japanese stocks hitting fresh record highs in line with Wall Street's overnight gains. On Thursday, all three major US indexes closed at all-time highs as signs of a cooling labor market and subdued inflation fueled expectations for deeper Federal Reserve rate cuts. In Japan, investors continued to assess the Bank of Japan's policy path amid mixed economic signals and political uncertainty. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba recently announced his resignation, facing mounting pressure after last...
Gold (XAU/USD) is extending its decline on Wednesday for a second consecutive day as the US Dollar (USD) and US Treasury yields firm ahead of the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)...
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....