Oil prices stabilized on Thursday (February 12th), as the market reassigned a risk premium to US-Iran tensions despite US inventory data showing swelling domestic supplies. This movement confirms one thing: geopolitical headlines are still more "noise" than signals of a short-term surplus. As of 3:50 PM WIB, Brent was at $69.60/barrel (+0.29%) and WTI was at $64.83/barrel (+0.31%). The gains were moderate, but enough to keep prices near the psychological $70 level for Brent. From a geopolitical perspective, market focus is on the potential for escalation in the Middle East. Recent reports...
European stocks ended higher Wednesday, with the Stoxx 50 up 0.8% and the Stoxx 600 rising 0.4%, as investors monitored political and economic developments. Leading the gains were SAP, which climbed over 4%, and Schneider Electric, up more than 2%. In France, the CAC 40 gained 0.7% as attention turned to a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. The vote follows Prime Minister Michel Barnier's use of special powers on Monday to push through a controversial budget without parliamentary approval. Both right- and left-wing parties have filed motions of no-confidence, with Barnier's...
The STOXX 50 gained 0.4% and the STOXX 600 edged up 0.2% on Wednesday, marking a third consecutive day of gains and trading at over one-month highs. However, caution persists as traders closely monitor the unfolding political situations in France and South Korea. French lawmakers are set to vote this afternoon on no-confidence motions that will probably topple the government, paving the way for prolonged political uncertainty. Meanwhile, reports indicate that South Korean lawmakers have called for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol following his controversial declaration of martial...
The Hang Seng ended the session with little move on Wednesday, closing around 19,742 after rising in the previous three sessions. Traders digested private survey data that showed an unexpected slowdown in China's services activity last month, despite a series of support measures since September. In Hong Kong, private sector activity grew for a second straight month, albeit at a slower pace. Market participants were warily watching political developments in South Korea, where a brief declaration of martial law led to opposition calls for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. On the...
Japanese stocks rose after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Banking, Insurance and Transportation Equipment sectors boosted shares. At the close of trading in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.06%. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (TYO:3099), which rose 6.41% or 142.50 points to close at 2,366.00 at the close of trading. Meanwhile, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (TYO:7012) rose 5.77% or 344.00 points to close at 6,302.00 and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (TYO:7011) gained 4.76% or 108.50 points to close at 2,388.00 in the last trading...
European stocks were mixed on Wednesday as regional market attention focused on an upcoming no-confidence vote in the French parliament, the National Assembly. The vote is expected to take place tonight after lawmakers debated two motions of no confidence, brought by the left-wing New Popular Front alliance and the right-wing National Rally party, against Prime Minister Michel Barnier's minority government. The motions came after Barnier used special constitutional powers on Monday to push through a disputed budget bill without a parliamentary vote. The National Rally has said it will...
China's 10-year government bond yield plunged to around 1.98%, nearing an all-time low, following the release of the latest PMI data. On Wednesday, a private survey showed China's services PMI fell in November 2024 from a three-month high in October, missing market expectations. In contrast, earlier this week, the same survey offered a more optimistic outlook, with the manufacturing PMI showing expansion for a second straight month, hitting a five-month high and beating estimates. The mixed signals underscore the uneven recovery across China's economic sectors. Elsewhere, the Communist...
The Shanghai Composite declined 0.2% to around 3,372, while the Shenzhen Component dropped 0.1% to 10,700 on Wednesday, with Chinese stocks struggling to build on recent gains as caution prevailed in the region following a political upheaval in South Korea. Economic uncertainties in China, exacerbated by US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats, also weighed on the market outlook. Moreover, data showed that Chinese services sector growth unexpectedly decelerated in November amid slowing new business and foreign sales. Adding to the uncertainty, China's Politburo chose not to...
Hong Kong stocks rose 29 points, or 0.2%, to 19,781 in early trade on Wednesday, rising for a fourth session amid a sharp rise in U.S. stock futures after Wall Street hit another record high overnight, ahead of upcoming monthly U.S. jobs data and a speech by Fed Chair Powell. Meanwhile, private survey data showed China's services sector expanded for a 23rd straight month in November, although the pace of growth slowed from a three-month peak in October. Consumer and technology stocks were mostly higher, following remarks from China's central bank that it will adopt supportive policies next...
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....