Gold did rise on Monday, driven by a weaker US dollar and falling US bond yields, plus demand for safe haven assets ahead of a key data week. But entering the US session, gold began to lose momentum and retreat from its intraday peak, as evidenced by XAU/USD falling back below $4,350 after briefly testing that level (although still holding above $4,300). The main reasons are usually simple: profit-taking (the price has risen sharply, near resistance), plus the market starting to "tidy up" as all eyes await US jobs (NFP) and inflation data, which will signal the direction of interest...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3% to around 3,990, while the broader Topix Index edged up 0.1% to 2,712 on Monday, recovering some losses from the previous session and mirroring Wall Street's gains from Friday. Investors remained cautious as they navigated US President Donald Trump's evolving trade policies and mounting concerns over the US economy. However, a strengthening yen, which surged to a five-month high on safe-haven demand, may limit further upside for Japanese equities. On the data front, Japan posted a current account deficit in January for the first time in two years, as imports...
Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Monday after a volatile trading week around the world. U.S. stocks — which are expected to open lower on Monday — have been on a roller-coaster ride since the start of the month given uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies — and their impact on the superpower's growth and inflation. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 surged 0.34%, after closing at a six-month high in its previous session. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 started the day flat while the broader Topix index edged down 0.1%. The country's cash earnings rose 2.8%...
The S&P 500 regained some ground on Friday, but the index still posted its worst week in several months as the salvo of trade policy actions unnerved investors. The broad index rose 0.55% to 5,770.20, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.7% to 18,196.22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 222.64 points, or 0.52%, to end at 42,801.72. Friday saw volatile trading, with the Dow falling more than 400 points at session lows before an afternoon rally. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both fell more than 1% at their worst points in the trading day. Despite Friday's recovery, the S&P 500...
The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note edged up to 4.28% on Friday after Fed Chair Jerome Powell reassured markets that the economy remains solid while emphasizing no urgency to cut rates. However, the yield remained near the four-month low of 4.16% touched on Monday, as uncertainty over US trade policy fueled concerns about economic growth and extended Wall Street's shift toward safer assets. President Trump granted a one-month exemption for Mexican and Canadian goods under the USMCA from new tariffs but vowed to end further relief. Meanwhile, pledges of aggressive spending cuts and...
The S&P 500 rose on Friday, regaining some ground as the benchmark headed for its worst week since September as a series of trade policy moves unsettled investors. The broad index rose 0.4%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded nearly flat. A weaker-than-expected jobs report released Friday raised further concerns about a weakening economy and lower interest rates. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 151,000 jobs in February, short of the consensus estimate for 170,000 from economists surveyed by Dow Jones. The unemployment rate edged up to...
The Hang Seng plunged 138 points, or 0.6%, to close at 24,231 on Friday (07/03), snapping a three-day rally. The decline followed trade data from China showing an unexpected drop in imports in January-February, while exports lost momentum amid rising U.S. tariff pressures. The index retreated from a three-year high as investors turned cautious ahead of China's February CPI and PPI data, due over the weekend. Losses were broad-based, with property, financial and technology stocks leading the decline. JD Logistics plunged 14.0% after reporting weaker Q4 net profit growth, while Semicon...
European markets moved lower on Friday, ending a tumultuous week marked by erratic U.S. tariff policy, the European Central Bank's latest interest rate cut, German fiscal reform and increased regional defense spending. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 is set to open down 48.9 points at 8,643, France's CAC 40 is down 80 points at 8,146 and Germany's DAX is down 308 points at 23,136, according to IG data. The regional Stoxx 600 index has swung between losses and gains this week amid geopolitical developments and corporate earnings. The benchmark is now headed for a weekly loss, which would be its first...
The Nikkei 225 Index fell 2.17% to close at 36,887 on Friday, nearing its lowest levels since September and tracking losses on Wall Street, where technology stocks were hit by heavy selling pressure. President Trump's shifting tariff policies and the escalating global trade war fueled fears about the economy, increasing market uncertainty. Additionally, local equities faced pressure from a stronger yen and rising Japanese Government Bond (JGB) yields, as expectations grow that the Bank of Japan will continue raising interest rates this year. Economy Minister Ryosei Azakawa announced that...
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....