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 Hang Seng fell 112 points, or 0.6%, to close at 19,753 on Thursday after an upbeat session the previous day, dragged down by broad-based declines across sectors. Investors held off on entering fresh positions after the U.S. Fed cut borrowing costs for the third time this year but warned it would slow the pace of interest rate cuts next year. Meanwhile, cautious traders awaited China's key monthly lending rate decision on Friday after it hit a record low in November. The market pared early losses, however, on a report that battery maker CATL is considering a second listing in Hong Kong...
Japanese stocks fell after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Communications, Steel and Transportation Equipment sectors led shares lower. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was down 0.80%. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201), which rose 6.51% or 27.20 points to trade at 444.80 at the close. Meanwhile, IHI Corp. (TYO:7013) gained 4.93% or 404.00 points to close at 8,604.00 and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (TYO:7012) gained 3.24% or 206.00 points to 6,570.00 in late trade. The worst performers on the session were Rakuten Inc (TYO:4755),...
Hong Kong stocks plunged 212 points, or 1.0%, to 19,653 in morning trade on Thursday after a big gain the previous day, pressured by a sharp drop on Wall Street overnight after the U.S. Fed cut interest rates for the third time this year, as expected, but halved the number of rate cuts anticipated for next year to two. The market was near a two-week low, with all sectors dragging down the Hang Seng Index. China Vanke Co. Its shares plunged 4.5% after Bloomberg News reported that Chinese regulators have asked the country's largest insurers to disclose their financial exposure to the troubled...
The Nikkei 225 Index fell 1% to below 38,700, while the broader Topix Index fell 0.5% to 2,706 on Thursday, hitting a three-week low. The declines mirrored a sharp selloff on Wall Street after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled fewer interest rate cuts in 2025 than previously expected. The Fed now expects just two rate cuts next year, down from the four projected in its September outlook. Investors also remained cautious ahead of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy decision later in the day. The central bank is likely to hold off on raising interest rates as policymakers assess the latest...
Asia-Pacific markets fell on Thursday morning (19/12), tracking broad declines on Wall Street as the U.S. Federal Reserve cut its benchmark lending rate for a third straight meeting while signaling fewer rate cuts ahead. Investors in Asia are looking ahead to the Bank of Japan's interest rate decision after a two-day policy meeting. The central bank is widely expected to keep its target interest rate unchanged at 0.25%. The Japanese yen was slightly higher on Thursday morning at 154.57 against the U.S. dollar. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 1.4% while the Topix fell 1.27%. In South...
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, but reined in the number of rate cuts ahead on concerns about sticker inflation amid a brighter economic outlook. The Federal Open Market Committee, the FOMC, cut its benchmark rate by 25 bps to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%. In what was the third rate cut of the year since the first cut in September, Fed members now appear to be easing away from a deep rate cut cycle, betting on fewer rate cuts ahead. Fed members now see the benchmark rate falling to 3.9% for next year, suggesting just two rate cuts, compared with a prior...
The Fed announced another 25bps cut to the federal funds rate in December 2024, marking the third consecutive reduction this year and bringing borrowing costs to the 4.25%-4.5% range, in line with expectations. The so-called dot plot suggested policymakers will probably would only lower twice more in 2025.(Cay) Newsmaker23 Source: Trading Economi
Markets are pricing in a near certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates by a quarter point on Wednesday, bringing the target range to 4.25% to 4.5%. The focal point for investors is central bank policymakers' economic outlook and the path forward for rate policy. The Fed will issue its decision at 2 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, followed by Chair Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30 p.m.Loan interest rates remain high even as Fed has reduced ratesThe Federal Reserve has dialed back interest rates by three-quarters of a point since the end of its September meeting, but...
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....