The Australian dollar (AUD) strengthened against the US dollar (USD) this morning after the latest inflation data from the TD Securities–Melbourne Institute (TD-MI) showed a higher-than-expected surge in consumer prices. The monthly inflation index rose 0.4% in September, reversing from a 0.3% decline in the previous month. Annually, inflation now stands at 3%, slightly above the upper end of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) target range of 2–3%. This rise in inflation has fueled speculation that the RBA may reconsider its cautious stance on interest rates. Although the RBA held its...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.02% to close at 41,070, while the broader Topix Index gained 0.81% to 2,944 on Thursday, recovering losses from earlier in the week after the Bank of Japan left interest rates unchanged in a unanimous decision, as widely expected. This marks the fourth consecutive meeting the BOJ has paused following its 25 basis-point hike to 0.5% in January. Japanese stocks also took cues from stronger US futures, supported by upbeat earnings from tech giants Meta Platforms and Microsoft. Meanwhile, investors continued to watch trade developments after the US finalized a...
(Hong Kong) On the final trading day of July, the Hang Seng Index opened 194 points, or 0.77%, lower at 24,982. The China Enterprises Index fell by 61 points, or 0.68%, to 8,976, while the Technology Index declined 31 points, or 0.58%, to 5,458. WuXi AppTec saw its share price drop 4% after a discounted share placement. Technology stocks broadly weakened, with Meituan leading the decline, falling 3.06%. Alibaba slipped 0.95%, Xiaomi Group dropped 0.82%, Trip.com Group eased 0.57%, and Tencent edged down 0.36%. Financial stocks also displayed weakness. HSBC Holdings extended its losses by...
Japanese stocks rose boosted by exporters and tech-related sectors as investors awaited the Bank of Japan's policy decision for hints about the central bank's rate path. The Topix Index rose 0.3% to 2,928.42 as of 9:27 a.m. Tokyo time The Nikkei advanced 0.4% to 40,799.27 Hitachi Ltd. contributed the most to the Topix Index gain, increasing 1%. Out of 1,682 stocks in the index, 1,207 rose and 398 fell, while 77 were unchanged. The yen weakened as much as 0.7% overnight versus the dollar which helped lift some export-related shares on Thursday. The...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Thursday as investors assessed the U.S.′ blanket 15% tariffs on imports from South Korea and awaited details on the Bank of Japan's policy decision. Japan's central bank is widely expected to stand pat on short-term interest rates at 0.5% for the fourth consecutive time, when its two-day policy meeting concludes later in the day. Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark moved up 0.21% while the broader Topix index ticked up 0.28%, as of 8.10 a.m. Singapore time (8.10 p.m. ET Wednesday). In South Korea, the Kospi index fell 0.14% while the small-cap Kosdaq was...
U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Technology and Telecoms sectors led shares higher while losses in the Basic Materials, Oil & Gas and Consumer Goods sectors led shares lower. At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.38%, while the S&P 500 index lost 0.12%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.15%. The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), which rose 2.15% or 3.78 points to trade at 179.29 at the close. Meanwhile, Unitedhealth Group...
The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed just below the flatline on Wednesday, with sectors diverging as second quarter earnings season ramped up. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 finished flat, while France's CAC 40 nudged 0.06% higher, and Germany's DAX rose 0.23%. The euro extended its recent slide against the U.S. dollar, taking losses since the EU-U.S. trade deal announcement over the weekend to 2.3%. The U.S. dollar index was 0.6% higher following better-than-expected economic growth data and ahead of the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. Source : CNBC
The S&P 500 edged up 0.1% and the Nasdaq 0.3% on Wednesday (July 30), while the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered near the flatline, as investors awaited the Fed's policy decision and assessed key economic data. The Fed is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged, with the market closely monitoring its outlook for the remainder of the year, especially after preliminary data showed US GDP grew stronger than expected by 3% in Q2, reinforcing signs of a resilient economy. Furthermore, ADP data showed the US private sector added 104,000 jobs in July, significantly higher...
The Hang Seng Index fell 347 points, or 1.4%, to close at 25,177 on Wednesday (July 30th), extending losses from the previous session amid widespread declines. Technology stocks slumped 2.7%, while consumer discretionary and financial stocks each fell about 1.5%, after US-China trade talks ended without substantial progress, leaving President Trump with the final decision on tariffs. Caution is also growing ahead of today's Fed interest rate decision, with analysts saying most officials prefer to assess the inflationary impact of tariffs, especially with Trump's August 1st deadline...
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....