Gold (XAU/USD) holds firm on Wednesday, with price action contained inside the recent consolidation zone as markets brace for the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rate decision. At the time of writing, XAU/USD is hovering near $4,204, down from the intraday high of $4,218. The Fed will announce its policy decision at 19:00 GMT, with markets leaning toward another 25 basis point cut that would lower the Federal Funds Rate to the 3.50%-3.75% range. Expectations for reduced borrowing costs keep Bullion broadly supported, as lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding...
US stocks extended their recovery as markets transitioned to looser Fed policy, with the Dow closing 0.9% higher, the S&P 500 gaining 0.4%, and the Nasdaq gaining 0.2%, as financial and defensive sectors outperformed due to a clear reweighting of near-term policy risks. ADP's surprise 32,000 decline in private payrolls pushed the chances of a Fed rate cut closer to certain. Wells Fargo and Citi each rose 3.5% as the prospect of looser policy reduced short-term funding costs and improved loan demand, while UnitedHealth jumped 4.7%. Marvel jumped 7.9% after raising its data center...
European stocks closed mixed on Wednesday (December 3) amid a series of corporate updates, as markets continued to gauge the euro's divergent interest rate outlook against that of the Fed and the ECB. The Eurozone STOXX 50 edged up 0.1% to 5,693, and the broader STOXX 600 gained 0.1% to 576. ECB President Lagarde noted that the bloc's inflation is expected to remain close to target, while Executive Board Member Lane warned of upside risks. Meanwhile, downbeat US jobs data reinforced speculation of a Fed rate cut next week. ASML jumped 2.6% after its ratings were upgraded by Bank of America...
Wall Street's main indexes opened lower on Wednesday, as investors assessed data pointing to a weak jobs market, while Microsoft fell after a report said the tech giant lowered its sales growth targets for certain artificial intelligence products. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 102.8 points, or 0.22%, at the open to 47,371.62. The S&P 500 fell 14.1 points, or 0.21%, at the open to 6,815.29, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 98.1 points, or 0.42%, to 23,315.58 at the opening bell. Source : Reuters
The Hang Seng tumbled 334 points, or 1.3%, to end at 25,761 on Wednesday, snapping a two-day rise as all sectors fell. Sentiment soured after a private survey showed China's services activity grew the least in five months in November, adding to pressure from deepening financial woes at property giant Vanke. The property sector led losses, down 1.6%, after Fitch placed Vanke on "Rating Watch Negative" and downgraded its subsidiary's notes. Financials, tech, and consumer stocks also retreated amid fading hopes for new stimulus before year-end. Still, the downside was limited by a Reuters...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.14% to close at 49,865 on Wednesday, recouping losses from earlier in the week and following gains on Wall Street amid expectations of further US Federal Reserve rate cuts. Risk appetite also improved as investors weighed the potential for a year-end rally in global equities. At home, caution persisted as markets assessed speculation that the Bank of Japan could raise rates this month. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank would consider the pros and cons of a hike and act "as appropriate." Technology stocks led the advance, with strong gains from...
The Nikkei 225 index rose 1.14% to close at 49,865 on Wednesday, recovering losses from earlier in the week and tracking gains on Wall Street. This rise was driven by expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again, boosting investor risk appetite. However, Japanese market participants remained cautious amid speculation that the Bank of Japan could raise interest rates this month. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda stated that the central bank is still weighing the positive and negative impacts before making a decision. The technology sector was the driving force behind the...
Shares in Hong Kong dipped 273 points, or 1.0%, to 25,826 in early Wednesday trade, reversing gains from the prior two sessions amid steep, broad-based losses across sectors. Traders were nervous ahead of key policy events in China, including the annual Central Economic Work Conference and the December Politburo meeting. Fresh private survey data also pressured sentiment, as China's services sector grew the least in five months during November, highlighting weakening economic momentum despite Beijing's efforts to boost activity. An extended decline in mainland markets also added to the...
Asia Pacific stock markets opened quietly on Wednesday morning, with investors awaiting the release of key economic data from the United States and signals on interest rate policy from the Federal Reserve. Major indices moved steadily after several days of volatility, indicating market caution ahead of the US central bank meeting. In Japan, the yen strengthened slightly against the US dollar on speculation of a Bank of Japan interest rate hike. Meanwhile, Tokyo and Hong Kong stock markets opened flat, with investors monitoring global developments and geopolitical situations that continue to...
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....