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...
European stocks declined on Wednesday, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 slipping nearly 0.2%, reversing modest gains from the previous session, with investors continuing to focus on fresh corporate earnings. Hermès fell more than 2% after its results disappointed investors, while L'Oréal dropped 0.8% following second-quarter sales that missed forecasts. HSBC tumbled 4.4% despite reporting revenue growth and announcing a $3 billion share buyback. Adidas sank nearly 8% after posting weaker-than-expected revenue growth and warning that tariffs would raise prices in the US. In contrast,...
The Nikkei 225 Index shed 0.05% to close at 40,655 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.4% to 2,920 on Wednesday, with Japanese shares struggling for clear direction as investors braced for the latest Bank of Japan monetary policy decision. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday amid uncertainty over the economic fallout from recent US tariffs. However, the central bank is likely to raise its inflation forecast in its quarterly outlook, reflecting ongoing price pressures. Investors also weighed prospects of another extension to the tariff truce...
Hong Kong stocks fell for the second session, down 46 points or 0.2% to 25,469 on Wednesday morning, after U.S.-China trade talks ended without a meaningful breakthrough. While extending the current tariff truce remains possible, Treasury Secretary Bessent said President Trump will have the final say. Caution also prevailed ahead of the Fed's rate decision later today, with analysts noting most Fed officials prefer to wait and assess the inflationary impact of tariffs before acting, especially with Trump's August 1 tariff deadline looming. Tech shares led the fall, followed by consumers...
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average is flat at 40681.72, as gains in electronics and brokerage shares offset declines in auto and pharmaceutical stocks. NEC Corp. is up 6.4% and Daiwa Securities Group is higher by 2.7%, while Honda Motor is down 1.7% and Chugai Pharmaceutical falls 1.2%. USD/JPY is at 148.27, compared with 148.25 as of Tuesday's Tokyo stock market close. Investors are focusing on quarterly earnings as well as any domestic political developments. Source: Marketwatch
Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed as U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick affirmed that President Donald Trump's upcoming Friday deadline to impose major tariffs on a slew of trading partners will not be delayed further. However, Lutnick noted that trade negotiations with China are progressing on a separate timeline, he said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was flat at the open, while the Topix inched higher 0.1%. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.48%, and the small-cap Kosdaq rose 0.42%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.19%. Source: CNBC
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) softened on Tuesday, falling back for a second straight day as bullish-prone equity markets pivot into a defensive stance ahead of the latest interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve (Fed). A raft of key United States (US) economic data is stuffing the chute through the rest of the week, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP), US Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index (PCE) inflation, and the latest Nonfarm Payrolls report. The Dow Jones slipped back below 44,800, shedding around 200 points and backsliding four-tenths of one percent on the...
European stock markets closed higher in Tuesday trading as the Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.33%, Germany's DAX climbed 1.03%, the FTSE 100 gained 0.60%, France's CAC 40 advanced 0.72%, and the Swiss Market Index rose 0.37%. In Spain, GDP rose 0.7% in Q2 compared with 0.6% the previous quarter, according to the Spanish Statistical Office. Analysts expected the rate to remain at 0.6%, according to Bloomberg. In corporate news, Novo Nordisk reported Q2 earnings Tuesday of 5.96 Danish krone ($0.92) per diluted share. Analysts polled by FactSet expected 6.04 krone per share. Sales for the quarter...
US stocks maintained modest gains on Tuesday (July 29) as the market digested a series of earnings reports ahead of key economic developments. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% to 6,400 and the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.5% to break through 23,400, both reaching record highs, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered near the flatline. Union Pacific jumped 2% after agreeing to acquire Norfolk Southern in the largest railroad deal in the US. Meanwhile, tech giants mostly gained ahead of earnings results from the world's largest companies by market capitalization this week, including Microsoft,...
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....