Oil headed for the biggest weekly loss since late June as traders positioned for a key OPEC+ decision on supply this weekend. Brent futures edged marginally higher on Friday, but were still trading below $65 a barrel and set for a weekly slump of about 8%. Prices have declined the past four days on the expectation OPEC+ will discuss fast-tracking more supply hikes. Meanwhile, efforts by the Trump administration to keep oil exports flowing from northern Iraq, as well as a US government shutdown, have added to the bearish sentiment. The OPEC+ meeting comes as...
The Hang Seng Index weakened 61 points, or 0.24%, to close at 25,105 on Thursday (August 21st), reversing earlier gains after a sluggish start. Sentiment weakened as US index futures weakened, following the FOMC minutes that signaled a hawkish stance amid persistent inflation risks ahead of the Fed's Jackson Hole symposium. Chairman Powell also expressed reluctance to cut interest rates, warning of tariff-driven price pressures this summer. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that China is considering allowing yuan-backed stablecoins to encourage global currency adoption, a potential shift in its...
European equities were little changed on Thursday as investors awaited updates from the Federal Reserve's Jackson Hole symposium for clues on the path of monetary policy. The pan-European STOXX 600 index opens was flat as of 0704 GMT, while most major bourses were mixed. Central bankers from around the world will be at the event, and the focus will remain on Fed Chair Jerome Powell's last speech at the summit in the position for hints of possible rate cuts this year. Also on the slate later in the day are flash purchasing managers' index (PMI) data for August for the euro zone, France,...
Japanese stocks dropped for a third day, with investors remaining on the sidelines as central bankers gather in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for an eagerly awaited annual symposium. Topix Index fell 0.5% to 3,082.95 as of 3:31 p.m. Tokyo time Out of 1,679 stocks in the index, 694 rose and 911 fell, while 74 were unchanged Nikkei declined 0.6% to 42,610.17 Auto and pharmaceutical shares slumped, while profit-taking pressured sectors such as construction. Meanwhile, some AI-related stocks including Advantest were picked up by investors after Wednesday's selloff to gain...
Hong Kong shares were little changed on Thursday morning, holding near 25,174 after a modest gain in the previous session. Investors digested minutes from the latest FOMC meeting, which struck a hawkish tone amid lingering inflation risks. Meanwhile, U.S. President Trump reportedly called on Fed Governor Lisa Cook to resign over allegations of providing false information to secure favorable mortgage terms. In China, equities extended gains as funds rotated into stocks despite ongoing U.S. trade tensions, while Beijing pressed ahead with curbs on excessive competition. Sector performance...
Japanese stocks are lower in early trade after U.S. tech stock selling continued overnight. Pharmaceutical and auto stocks are leading the declines. Daiichi Sankyo is down 5.6% and Honda Motor is 1.7% lower. USD/JPY is at 147.37, compared with 147.23 as of Wednesday's Tokyo stock market close. Investors are watching for any developments related to the war in Ukraine and domestic politics. The Nikkei Stock Average is down 0.2% at 42790.90. Source: Marketwatch
Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose as investors assessed the four-day losing streak for the S&P 500, led by declines in tech stocks. Investors in the region are awaiting India's HSBC Composite flash purchasing managers' index reading for August, which provides an early snapshot of the performance of the private sector economy, expected later in the day. Economists polled by Reuters expect it to come in at 60.5, compared with 61.1 in the month before. Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 0.21% in early trade, while the broader Topix index ticked down 0.4%. In South Korea, the Kospi index rose...
US equities fell on Wednesday as skepticism on grounds for future AI returns pressured tech companies, while markets assessed earnings from retailers and FOMC minutes. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 lost 0.5% and 1%, respectively, while the Dow was slightly lower. Magnificent 7 companies fell further for a second session, coinciding with research noting that most AI firms will not be profitable. Nvidia, Meta, and Alphabet were over 1% down. In turn, retail earnings were mixed. Target slumped 10% as it revealed a new CEO, despite beating earnings, while Estee Lauder lost 4% on a...
European indices were mixed on Wednesday following a tech-led selloff on Wall Street, while U.K. inflation came in hotter than expected, raising doubts over future monetary easing by the Bank of England. The DAX index in Germany dropped 0.7%, while the CAC 40 in France slipped 0.1% and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. rallied 1.1%. Tech-led weakness European markets have followed their Asian counterparts lower on Wednesday, following the overnight weakness on Wall Street after tech stocks fretted about President Donald Trump's growing influence over the sector. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard...
Gold (XAU/USD) is extending its decline on Wednesday for a second consecutive day as the US Dollar (USD) and US Treasury yields firm ahead of the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)...
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....