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 Hong Kong stock market climbed 248 points or 1.2% to 19,838 in Friday morning trade, partly recovering from a slump of around 2% in the prior session, with gains across most sectors, particularly tech, consumers, and property. However, markets are on track to post a weekly decline, down around 1% so far, due to looming tariff threats from the incoming US administration under Donald Trump. Meanwhile, local data showed that retail sales in Hong Kong fell for the ninth consecutive month in November, shrinking by 8.3% yoy and deepening from October's 4.8% decline. Source : Trading Economics
European markets shifted higher Thursday afternoon, following a mixed start to 2025 trading. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index reversed earlier losses to trade 0.5% higher by 3:50 p.m. London time, as regional bourses reopened after the New Year's Day holiday. Oil and gas stocks led gains, rising 2.3%, while utilities also climbed 1.6%. Banking stocks and autos dipped, however, losing 0.46% and 0.69% respectively, as uncertainty remained over the economic outlook and potential tariffs under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. France's CAC 40 also reversed early losses to gain 0.18%, though...
European markets started 2025 on a cautious note, with the Stoxx 50 down 0.4% and the Stoxx 600 almost flat on Thursday. Gains in oil, gas and mining stocks, up 1.5% and 1.3% respectively, were offset by declines in banking (-0.1%) and media (-0.3%). After solid performances in 2024—up 8.3% for the Stoxx 50 and 6% for the Stoxx 600—investors are now looking for fresh drivers amid ongoing concerns over U.S. tariffs and European political instability. In economic news, Spanish factory activity picked up in December 2024, with the Spanish HCOB Manufacturing PMI rising to 53.3 from 53.1 in...
The Hang Seng plunged 437 points, or 2.2%, to close at 19,623 in the first trading session of 2025, pressured by further selling in mainland markets following sluggish Chinese factory activity in December. The index fell to a near one-month low, with concerns growing over potential tariff hikes by the Trump administration and their broad impact on Chinese exports. Nervous traders anticipated that markets would lack clear direction until the National People's Congress in early March when Beijing is due to announce its growth targets for the new year. Losses were broad, with financials down...
HK50 decreased to a 4-week low of 19563.00 Index Points. Over the past 4 weeks, Hong Kong Stock Market Index (HK50) lost 0.84%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 17.63%. Source: Trading Ecnomics
Stocks were slightly higher Tuesday, as investors look to wrap up another booming year that hoisted the S&P 500 to its second consecutive annual gain exceeding 20%, spurred by enthusiasm for rate cuts, economic strength and artificial intelligence. The broad market index traded 0.3% higher, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 141 points, or 0.3%. The S&P 500 has surged 24% in 2024, building on a gain of 24.2% from last year. The two-year gain of around 54% is the best since the nearly 66% rally in 1997 and 1998. Meanwhile, the Dow has...
US stock futures rose on Tuesday, signaling a rebound after three days of losses and a continuation of Wall Street's strong rally in 2024. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.4%, while Dow Jones futures rose 75 points. The S&P 500 is on track to post a strong gain of about 27% for the year, driven by factors including anticipated interest rate cuts, strong corporate earnings and significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI). Companies such as Palantir Technologies and Nvidia are leading the way with triple-digit gains. The Dow Jones is also performing well, up about...
European markets, including the Stoxx 600, FTSE 100 and CAC 40, traded almost flat on Tuesday ahead of the New Year holiday, reflecting a subdued mood amid political uncertainty and cautious sentiment. Wizz Air bucked the trend, rising on an upbeat growth forecast for 2026. Regional markets are set to close 2024 with modest gains, with the Stoxx 600 up 5.5% for the year. European equities have lost momentum after hitting a record high in September, weighed down by concerns about U.S. tariffs under President-elect Trump and political instability in France and Germany. The CAC 40 is down 2.5%...
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....