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...
Japanese stocks closed slightly lower on Friday, with the Nikkei 225 down 0.07% as pressure hit the Paper & Pulp, Transportation, and Communications sectors. Interestingly, amid the index's decline, some stocks still performed well. Pacific Metals surged 6.80% to 2,530.00, hitting a three-year high. Okuma Corp. rose 6.66% to 3,765.00, while Furukawa Electric gained 4.73% to 9,928.00. Mitsui Mining and Smelting led the decliners, dropping 2.14%, followed by Toho Co., which fell 2.03%, and Fujitsu, which fell 1.92%. Broadly speaking, the market was actually still positive: 2,542 stocks...
Hang Seng Menguji 26.000, Lanjut Nanjak atau Balik Turun? The Hong Kong stock market opened cautiously on Friday, November 28, 2025, with the Hang Seng Index trading slightly between 25,990 and 26,000, having closed at 25,945.93 on Thursday. Opening sentiment was still influenced by the slowdown in the global rally over the weekend, after world stock markets had rallied strongly in recent days and began to lose steam. In Asia, other stock indices also tended to move mixed, while the absence of major catalysts from Wall Street—which was closed for Thanksgiving—left the Hang Seng's direction...
Nikkei Struggles Above 50,000, a Sign of Starting Fatigue? | Nikkei Ngerem di Atas 50.000, Tanda Mulai Lelah? The Nikkei index is expected to open cautiously on Friday, trading within the 50,000 area after a sharp rally over the past week. Nikkei futures are expected to move only slightly around 50,100, in line with projections for a flat opening for Asian markets as the global rebound begins to lose steam. The previous day, the Nikkei had risen around 1.2% and closed around 50,167, driven by positive sentiment from hopes of a Fed rate cut in December, which has revived investor risk...
Asia-Pacific stock markets are expected to open slightly lower on Friday. Sentiment remains thin as US stock futures moved flat during the Thanksgiving holiday, while the Nasdaq Composite is on track to end its seven-month winning streak. In the region, market participants will focus on Tokyo inflation data—often a guide to Japan's national inflation—and India's fiscal second-quarter GDP data, due out this Friday. The latest data showed Tokyo's October headline inflation edged down to 2.7% from 2.8%, while core inflation rose to 2.8%, slightly above the 2.7% forecast. Core inflation in...
European stocks closed higher on Thursday as investors digested the regional and global economic outlook. The pan-European Stoxx 600 reversed course to finish 0.12% higher by the end of Thursday's session, with major bourses and sectors mostly higher following broadly negative moves earlier in the day. It comes after a positive trading session yesterday, with the Stoxx 600 closing almost 1.1% higher and most sectors and major regional bourses in the green. Global markets have been boosted this week by rising expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates when it next...
The Hang Seng added 18 points, or 0.1%, to close at 25,946 on Thursday, marking a fourth straight session of gains amid strength mainly from financials. Sentiment was lifted by Beijing's new plan to spur consumption, including rural consumer goods upgrades and support for sectors such as pets and toys. A modest rise in mainland stocks also aided risk appetite, amid optimism toward the domestic AI sector. On the data front, however, October figures showed China's industrial profits dropped for the first time in three months, reflecting weak domestic demand and export challenges. Trading was...
The Japanese stock market closed higher on Thursday, driven by strong gains in the Real Estate, Banking, and Textile sectors. The Nikkei 225 index rose 1.28%, with three stocks performing particularly well: Resonac Holdings, which surged 8.85% to a five-year high; Toppan Printing, which set an all-time record after rising 7.32%; and Denka Co. Ltd., which surged 6.10% to a 52-week high. Overall, there were far more gainers than decliners: 2,323 stocks rose, while 1,252 declined. On the other hand, several healthcare stocks were under pressure. Eisai Co. fell 2.70%, followed by Shionogi &...
Hong Kong stocks rallied again at the start of trading on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index rising around 82 points, or 0.3%, to 26,012. This marked the fourth consecutive day of gains, in line with Wall Street's rally, which also saw four consecutive sessions amid growing expectations of a Fed rate cut in December. All sectors on the Hang Seng opened in the green, with technology and property stocks leading the gains. Sentiment was also helped by a rebound in major mainland Chinese stock markets after a brief correction. However, the rally was tempered by the latest data showing 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....