The US dollar remains sluggish after experiencing intense pressure following the Fed's decision to cut interest rates by 25 bps. The US Dollar Index (DXY) remains in the lower zone and is trending lower weekly, as market participants assess the Fed's policy stance as being more dovish. Expectations of further interest rate cuts have diminished the dollar's appeal as a high-yielding asset, leading to more capital flows into other assets such as gold, silver, and some riskier currencies. Nevertheless, in the very short term, the dollar attempted a slight rebound in the US session as US bond...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit another weak patch on Monday, backsliding nearly 500 points and slipping back below the 47,000 handle to start the new trading week with many of the same questions from last week going unanswered. The AI segment continues to see new challenges amid concerns about endpoint revenues, and investors are hoping that a kickstart to official data sources following the reopening of the federal government will help push the Federal Reserve (Fed) to deliver a third straight interest rate cut in December. Alphabet shares supported by Berkshire...
The three major stock averages in the US swung around the flatline on Monday, as investors braced for the resumption of economic data releases from major statistical agencies following the end of last week's government shutdown. Key reports including the jobs report and trade data are due this week and could influence the Fed's policy decision next month, at a time when many policymakers are growing more sceptical about the need for additional rate cuts. Markets are currently pricing in about a 43% chance of a quarter-point cut in December. Meanwhile, Nvidia is set to report quarterly...
Japanese stocks edged lower on Monday, with the Nikkei 225 down 0.1% to 50,324 and the broader Topix index down 0.37%. The main pressure came from tourism and retail stocks after geopolitical tensions with China escalated. Beijing warned Japan not to interfere in the Taiwan issue and also urged its citizens to exercise caution when traveling to Japan. A Japanese diplomat is reportedly planning a visit to China to try to calm the situation, but the market remains nervous. Travel-related stocks were the first to suffer from this sentiment. Japan Airlines and ANA Holdings fell 3.8% and 3.1%,...
Hong Kong's stock market was under pressure again at the start of the week as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of US September non-farm payrolls (NFP) data on Thursday—the first significant data since the 43-day government shutdown. Uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's interest rate direction dampened risk appetite. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.7%, extending its 1.9% decline from Friday, while Hang Seng Tech fell 0.6%. The biggest pressure came from technology and travel stocks, including Trip.com, which fell 3.9%, Baidu, which fell 2.1%, and WuXi AppTec, which fell 2.7%....
Asian stock markets opened cautiously at the start of the week, with the MSCI Asia Pacific index rising slightly by 0.2%. The Kospi led the gains, while Japan's Nikkei index fell 0.5% after data showed the Japanese economy contracted again. Japanese retail and tourism stocks also weakened due to escalating tensions with China. US stock futures rose 0.3%, providing some positive sentiment. Investors are now awaiting a slew of US economic data, which returns after a long pause due to the shutdown, including the jobs report. At the same time, risk appetite appears to be weakening as AI stock...
Japanese stock markets opened lower as escalating tensions with China weighed on retail and tourism-related stocks. The Topix index fell 0.8% to 3,333.98, while the Nikkei weakened 0.9% to 49,942.24 at the start of trading in Tokyo. The decline was triggered by China's warning to students seeking to study in Japan of increased risks to their citizens, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan sparked diplomatic friction. This sentiment immediately hit stocks that rely on tourist arrivals and spending from China. Market analysts said the current Japan-China tensions are...
US stocks recovered from sharp early losses on Friday (November 14th), but closed flat to lower as investors bought back major technology stocks and reassessed the likelihood of a December interest rate cut. This left the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 largely stagnant, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 280 points lower. Nvidia, Microsoft, Oracle, and Palantir each rose between 1.1% and 2.4%, reversing some of Thursday's sharp declines in tech stocks. Meanwhile, defensive stocks lagged, with United Healthcare down 3.2% and Home Depot down 1.6%. Stock movements remained uneven, with...
US stocks moved lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 down 1% and the Nasdaq falling 1.6%, both hitting one-month lows, while the Dow Jones dropped about 400 points. The tech sector remained under heavy pressure as investors grew increasingly concerned about stretched valuations in AI-related stocks and the risk of a bubble. Concerns also mounted that the Fed may hesitate to cut rates next month, after several policymakers expressed skepticism about the need for another reduction. Market odds of a 25 bps cut in December have fallen to just below 50%, down from nearly 65% earlier in the...
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....