Gold continues to be supported by expectations of dovish monetary policy from the Federal Reserve, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical tensions, said ActivTrades analyst Ricardo Evangelista. Although non-farm payrolls increased by 64,000 jobs, the US unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November, its highest level since September 2021. The market is awaiting key US inflation data this week, with the Consumer Price Index due on Thursday and Personal Consumption Expenditures on Friday. Last week, the Federal Reserve delivered its third and final quarter-point interest rate cut of the year,...
The Hang Seng Index surged 495 points, or 1.9%, to close at 26,322 on Monday (September 29th), recovering from two sessions of decline as all sectors contributed to the rally. Optimism increased after China's central bank on Friday promised stronger coordination between monetary and fiscal policies to support growth, while Goldman Sachs projected interest rate and RRR cuts for banks in the fourth quarter of 2025. Sentiment was also lifted by signs that Beijing's crackdown on price wars is working, with authorities urging Chinese companies in the US to avoid aggressive discounting....
The STOXX 50 went up 0.3% and the STOXX 600 rose 0.2% on Monday, tracking a general positive tone across European equity markets in Asia and the US. Traders were also digesting corporate news and economic data. Shares of AstraZeneca jumped 1.6% after news the drugmaker plans direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange, replacing its current ADR structure. GSK increased 3.6% after appointing a new CEO. Lufthansa added 1.4%. On the other hand, Genmab declined 2.5% after it agreed to buyNasdaq-listed Dutch biotech Merus. On the data front, preliminary figures showed inflation in Spain...
The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.69% to 45,044 while the broader Topix Index sank 1.74% to 3,132 on Monday, extending losses for a second day as many Japanese stocks traded ex-dividend and investors braced for a heavy data calendar that could clarify the economic outlook. Key releases include the Tankan business sentiment survey, consumer confidence, industrial production, retail sales and the latest Bank of Japan Summary of Opinions. Minutes from the BOJ's July meeting indicated policymakers remain open to further tightening if growth and inflation trend as expected. Financial and consumer...
The Hang Seng Index opened higher, gaining 193 points to reach 26,321, and is currently up 313 points or 1.2%, standing at 26,442. The China Enterprises Index rose by 89 points or 0.95% to 9,392, while the Tech Index increased by 86 points or 1.4%, reaching 6,281. The main board recorded a turnover of HK$82 billion. Technology stocks saw broad-based gains. Tencent climbed 1.9%, Alibaba surged 2.8%, and Meituan rose 1.7%. However, Xiaomi Group slipped slightly by 0.4%. JD.com advanced 2.1%, and Kuaishou experienced the largest gain in the sector, rising 3.2%. Financial stocks also performed...
The Japanese stock market opened lower at the start of this week. The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.8% to 45,009.28, dragged down by a sell-off in high-dividend stocks that began trading ex-dividend today. The greatest pressure came from Komatsu, which fell 3.8%, Kawasaki Kisen, which fell 4%, and Dai-ichi Life, which fell 3.3%. This decline is quite common when large stocks pass their ex-dividend date, as investors targeting dividends have already exited their positions. However, the weakness was felt more deeply because dividend stocks typically carry a large weighting in the index. In terms...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday, while the Reserve Bank of Australia will kickstart its two-day policy meeting where it is expected to hold its cash rate steady at 3.6%, according to a Reuters poll. "The RBA are likely to find themselves in a tougher position than recent meetings. There is real tension building in the data flow," the Commonwealth Bank of Australia wrote in a note, citing how the country's August CPI indicates "material upside risks to Q3 inflation" as well as a a cyclical upswing in the activity data. However, CBA's economists also pointed to signs of softer...
US stocks closed higher on Friday (September 26th), as investors reacted positively to an inflation report that met expectations, while also considering President Trump's new wave of tariffs and weakening consumer sentiment. The S&P 500 rose 0.6%, the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 300 points, all ending a three-session losing streak. The August PCE Index, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, showed core inflation at 2.9% year-on-year, supporting expectations for two quarter-point interest rate cuts in the upcoming meeting. Boeing (+3.6%) and...
European stocks closed sharply higher on Friday, recovering from losses in the previous two sessions, as markets reassessed the impact of new US tariffs and how major European companies should navigate global tariff uncertainty. The Eurozone STOXX 50 rose 0.9% to 5,495, and the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.7% to 554. Major bank stocks led the session's gains amid falling long-term bond yields in the currency bloc, supporting BBVA, BNP Paribas, Nordea, and Intesa Sanpaolo to gain more than 2%. Meanwhile, ArcelorMittal rose 3% on news that the European Commission plans to impose tariffs of...
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....