Gold prices strengthened as we entered the European session today, Wednesday (December 17th), holding around $4,320 per ounce and remaining close to October's record high of $4,381. This strengthening occurred after the market returned to seeking safe haven assets while awaiting the next major data from the US. The main drivers came from the US agenda: market participants were focused on Thursday's CPI inflation release and a series of comments from central bank officials. After the latest mixed employment data, the market didn't feel there was enough reason to aggressively increase...
European stocks moved steadily at the start of the week, while the French CAC 40 index fell 0.7%. This decline occurred after President Emmanuel Macron appointed a new cabinet that remained largely unchanged. This decision drew strong criticism from opposition parties and raised market concerns about political stability in France. Pictet Asset Management analyst Christopher Dembik said the market may not be calm for long. He said the future of Macron's government appears uncertain. New elections are possible, although Macron could also delay major changes until his term ends in 2027. In...
The Nikkei 225 index closed up 4.8% to 47,944.76 on Monday (October 6), posting its biggest daily surge since April. The rise was led by heavy industry and electronics stocks, which benefited from expectations of new fiscal stimulus after Sanae Takaichi was named Japan's next Prime Minister. Market sentiment was boosted by hopes that Takaichi's pro-stimulus administration would support economic growth, while the Bank of Japan was expected to delay interest rate hikes. Stocks such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Tokyo Electron recorded significant surges. In addition to domestic...
The political deadlock in Washington has shaken the Hong Kong stock market. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.6% this morning to 26,976.92, driven by concerns about the US government shutdown, which has triggered a flight to safe havens like gold. The pressure was even deeper in the technology sector, with Hang Seng Tech falling 1.5%. Major stocks like SMIC, Kuaishou, Li Auto, and BYD all fell by more than 3%. On the other hand, safe haven stocks shone. Zijin Mining, a giant gold miner, jumped 4% as gold continued to be sought amid US uncertainty. Tencent and Meituan also managed to gain some...
Asian stocks surged to new highs, led by Japan's Nikkei 225, which surged more than 4% following the election of pro-stimulus lawmaker Sanae Takaichi as the next prime minister. This unexpected political shift boosted investor optimism, fueling gains across the region and pushing the MSCI Asia stock index to a record high. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen weakened sharply against the US dollar and the euro, sliding toward the psychologically key 150-dollar level as concerns about a delay in the Bank of Japan's interest rate hike intensified.Gold continued its strong rally, rising above $3,900 an...
Japanese stocks surged nearly 3% in early trading Monday after pro-stimulus politician Sanae Takaichi won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election. This victory paves the way for Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister and fueled market optimism over the potential for increased fiscal spending and economic stimulus. The yen weakened 1.2% against the dollar, approaching the 150 level—a key psychological point for the foreign exchange market. Meanwhile, Japanese bond yields are expected to rise due to expectations of increased debt issuance under Takaichi's leadership....
The S&P 500 closed mostly flat on Friday, the Dow Jones extended its record run, rising 240 points finisheing at 46,758 after briefly surpassing 47,000 during the session, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.3% as the US government shutdown entered its third day. Pressure came from major technology names, with Palantir Technologies leading the S&P 500 lower, dropping 7.5%, while Tesla and Nvidia fell 1.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Applied Materials declined 2.7% after warning of a $600 million revenue hit tied to semiconductor export restrictions. Investors focused on the shutdown, which...
European stocks closed mostly higher to extend the positive momentum this week on strength in healthcare and luxury brands. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 inched higher to 5,651 and the pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.5% to 570, both at record highs. Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, Merck, and UCB rose more than 2%, extending their surge this week after the US Presidential Administration signaled that tariffs on pharmaceutical goods may be less aggressive than feared, while allowing patients to buy discounted prescription drugs through a new federal website. Luxury giants were also higher as markets assessed...
Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Friday as optimism about an imminent interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve boosted sentiment in the final trading session of a week that saw volatility due to the U.S. government shutdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), opens new tab rose 64.2 points, or 0.14%, at the open to 46,583.95. The S&P 500 (.SPX), opens new tab rose 6.8 points, or 0.10%, at the open to 6,722.14, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), opens new tab rose 42.1 points, or 0.18%, to 22,886.157. Source: Reuters.com
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....