Gold steadied and was set for a moderate weekly loss as investors assessed the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts after resilient US jobs and retail data eased concerns about the economy. Bullion traded below $3,340 an ounce, heading for a 0.5% drop on the week. That came after data that showed applications for unemployment benefits fell for a fifth straight week to the lowest level since mid-April, and advancing retail sales in June. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said it's reasonable for policymakers to plan on two interest-rate cuts this year, emphasizing that the central bank...
Japanese stocks fell, dragged down by a decline in electronics shares, as concerns about U.S. trade policy persisted. Lasertec dropped 3.4% and Terumo dropped 1.7%. USD/JPY was at 151.46, down from 152.15 at the close of the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday. Investors were watching the yen and any developments related to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Nikkei Stock Average was down 0.4% at 37,994.69. Source: Bloomberg
Stocks fell in light trading on Wednesday as investors took some risk off the table following big November gains. The S&P 500 shed 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 115 points, or 0.3%, despite trading more than 140 points up at session highs. Traders appeared to take profits on big technology names that have largely performed well this year, which can explain the Nasdaq's underperformance. Nvidia which has surged more than 168% in 2024, lost more than 3% in the session. Meta Platformsslid about 1% after rallying around 60% this...
European stocks closed firmly lower on Wednesday, extending the drop from the prior session as markets continued to assess the outlook for ECB policy and the impact of tariff threats from the upcoming US presidential administration. The Eurozone's Stoxx 50 dropped 0.6% to close at 4,734 and the pan-European Stoxx 600 eased 0.2% to close at 505. ECB Governing Council member Schnabel noted that the Eurozone's economy is not headed into a recession, warranting caution in its upcoming policy decisions to not overly expedite rate cuts. French financial services providers were among the worst...
Stocks edged lower as traders waded through mixed data on the world's largest economy ahead of a key inflation reading. Equities halted a seven-day rally that drove the S&P 500 to all-time highs. Treasuries advanced across the curve, while the dollar fell. The US economy expanded at a solid pace in the third quarter, largely powered by a broad-based advance in consumer spending and steady business investment. Gross domestic product increased at a 2.8% annualized pace. Separate figures showed initial jobless claims were...
The Hang Seng soared 444 points or 2.3% to close at 19,603 on Wednesday, gaining for the second day amid mounting optimism about potential supportive policies from China to counter tariff risks. Traders showed increased confidence that the PBoC may further cut RRR in December to spur economic recovery in China, after two reductions totaling 100bps in September and February. A positive lead from Wall Street Tuesday also enhanced risk appetite, ahead of the US PCE index and indications of further interest rate cuts as Fed officials seemed comfortable with the pace of inflation. Meanwhile,...
Japan stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Shipbuilding, Paper & Pulp and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors led shares lower. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 declined 0.78%. The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Keisei Electric Railway Co., Ltd. (TYO:9009), which rose 5.02% or 222.00 points to trade at 4,641.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Resonac Holdings Corp (TYO:4004) added 4.08% or 163.00 points to end at 4,155.00 and Kansai Electric Power Co Inc (TYO:9503) was up 3.89% or 71.50 points to 1,907.50 in late trade. The worst...
European equity markets were poised for a subdued open on Wednesday, amid concerns that US President-elect Donald Trump could target European countries with tariffs following his recent threats against China, Mexico, and Canada. Investors were also cautious ahead of a key US inflation report that could influence the Federal Reserve's plans for rate cuts. Meanwhile, market participants will be focused on the latest consumer confidence data from Germany and France, as well as EasyJet's earnings report. In premarket trading, Euro Stoxx 50 futures dropped 0.15%, while Stoxx 600 futures were...
Shares in Hong Kong rose 100 points or 0.5% to 19,260 in early trade on Wednesday following a muted session the day before, mainly supported by gains in property, tech, and consumers. An upbeat session on Wall Street overnight uplifted sentiment, with the Fed's latest minutes being interpreted dovishly ahead of the October PCE index release. Investors were also hopeful that the PBoC would further lower commercial banks' RRR in December to bolster economic recovery in China, following two reductions totaling 100bps in September and February. Limiting the rise was fresh data showing a...
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....