Oil prices stabilized on Thursday (February 12th), as the market reassigned a risk premium to US-Iran tensions despite US inventory data showing swelling domestic supplies. This movement confirms one thing: geopolitical headlines are still more "noise" than signals of a short-term surplus. As of 3:50 PM WIB, Brent was at $69.60/barrel (+0.29%) and WTI was at $64.83/barrel (+0.31%). The gains were moderate, but enough to keep prices near the psychological $70 level for Brent. From a geopolitical perspective, market focus is on the potential for escalation in the Middle East. Recent reports...
US stocks climbed sharply on Monday, with the S&P 500 up 1.3%, the Nasdaq surging 1.6%, and the Dow Jones rising more than 450 points, rebounding from Friday's steep losses that marked the S&P's biggest one-day drop since April. Traders appeared to shake off renewed tensions in the US–China trade dispute after Washington threatened higher tariffs in response to Beijing's rare earth export controls. Over the weekend however, President Trump struck a softer tone, saying the "China situation will all be fine". In addition, a multi-year partnership to develop custom chips between OpenAI...
The Tokyo Stock Exchange was closed today (Monday, October 13) for Health and Sports Day, so the benchmark level is based on the Nikkei 225's final close of 48,088.80 (-1.01%) on Friday (October 10). Trading continued in derivatives, but sentiment remained fragile following Asian turmoil due to renewed US-China trade tensions following Washington's threat of new tariffs. This has dampened risk appetite in the region, although US futures have attempted a rebound. In Japan, the market is also monitoring political uncertainty following the collapse of the LDP-Komeito coalition and the dynamics...
The Hang Seng dipped 401 points or 1.5% to end at 25,889 on Monday, marking a sixth session of losses as all sectors weighed on the index. Sentiment weakened further after President Trump announced Friday 100% tariffs on Chinese exports and new export controls on critical software starting Nov. 1, in retaliation for Beijing's rare earth curbs. Traders shrugged off his later remarks that "trade relations with China will be fine." Markets hit a one-month low, tracking a pullback from decade highs in mainland stocks. Losses were partly offset by stronger-than-expected Chinese trade data...
European stocks started the week in positive territory, with the STOXX 50 rising 0.9% and the STOXX 600 adding 0.6%, as traders geared up for the upcoming earnings season and largely brushed off trade tensions between the US and China. Following Friday's threat by Washington to raise tariffs on China in response to Beijing's rare earth export controls, US President Trump said on Sunday that the "China situation will all be fine." Meanwhile, ASML and LVMH are among the major companies scheduled to release quarterly results this week. On the political front, French President Macron announced...
The Hong Kong stock market opened sharply lower at the start of this week after escalating trade tensions between the United States and China once again shook investor sentiment. The Hang Seng Index fell 656 points, or 2.49%, to 25,634, extending its decline for the sixth consecutive day. Selling pressure spread across sectors, with the Hang Seng Tech Index and the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index also falling more than 2%. This massive sell-off was triggered by US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting next month. Fears of a full-blown trade war...
Asia-Pacific markets fell Monday after China and the U.S. tightened trade restrictions and traded fresh accusations, renewing tensions between the world's two largest economies. China on Sunday said "we are not afraid of" a trade war with the United States after President Donald Trump vowed to impose punishing new retaliatory tariffs on Chinese imports. A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce accused the U.S. of a "textbook double standard" with Trump's promise on Friday to tack on additional 100% tariffs on those imports after China imposed new export controls on rare earths...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) soured sharply on Friday, plummeting to its lowest bids in nearly three weeks and declining over 1,000 points top-to-bottom after US President Donald Trump pulled out of upcoming trade talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and vowed to sharply increase import tariffs on all Chinese goods. According to Trump, China is holding the rest of the world hostage with its protectionist rare earth materials policies. Market-wide expectations of a potential tariff-easing trade deal between the US and China were demolished by Trump's fresh tariff proclamation,...
European stocks extended losses for a second session on Friday, with both the Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 down around 1%. Defense stocks led declines as signs of progress emerged in a US-brokered peace deal in the Middle East. Israel confirmed that a ceasefire with Hamas took effect at noon local time, with troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza as hostages were released under the agreement. The Stoxx Europe Aerospace and Defense index slumped over 2%, led by Leonardo (-5.6%), Rheinmetall (-2.5%), Thales (-2.4%), Saab (-2.2%), BAE Systems (-1.9%), Rolls-Royce (-1.7%), Safran (-1.6%), and Airbus...
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....