Oil headed for the biggest weekly loss since late June as traders positioned for a key OPEC+ decision on supply this weekend. Brent futures edged marginally higher on Friday, but were still trading below $65 a barrel and set for a weekly slump of about 8%. Prices have declined the past four days on the expectation OPEC+ will discuss fast-tracking more supply hikes. Meanwhile, efforts by the Trump administration to keep oil exports flowing from northern Iraq, as well as a US government shutdown, have added to the bearish sentiment. The OPEC+ meeting comes as...
The Nikkei 225 weakened 0.1% to 45,600, while the Topix gained 0.2% to 3,177 on Thursday, as Japanese equities lacked a clear direction due to pressure on technology stocks. This followed two consecutive days of declines in major US indexes, driven by concerns over record-high valuations and complex interdependencies in the AI sector. Domestically, minutes of the Bank of Japan's July meeting suggested that policymakers remain inclined to raise interest rates further if economic and price conditions develop as expected. Investors are now eyeing Friday's Tokyo inflation data, a key...
Asian stocks traded in a tight range at the open after losses on Wall Street as signs of fatigue crept into the AI-fueled equity rally. Shares in Japan and Australia edged up while those in South Korea retreated. The S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and a gauge of global stocks each dropped 0.3% Wednesday, extending declines from the prior day. An index of US-listed Chinese companies rallied against the downcast mood on Wall Street to climb 2.8%. Equity-index futures for Hong Kong retreated as the city returns to normalcy after Super Typhoon Ragasa....
US stocks weakened for a second straight day on Wednesday as investors weighed pressure on AI leaders, mixed signals from the Federal Reserve, and profit-taking near record highs. The S&P 500 fell 0.3%, the Nasdaq 100 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average each fell 0.4%, extending Tuesday's decline that ended a three-day winning streak. Nvidia fell nearly 1% after announcing a $100 billion partnership with OpenAI, while Oracle fell 1.7% and Micron Technology slumped 2.9% despite posting higher-than-expected earnings. Conversely, Alibaba's pledge to increase AI spending beyond its initial...
European stocks closed near the flatline on Wednesday (September 24), extending the relatively subdued movement in equity markets this week, as weakness among major luxury brands offset modest gains in other sectors. The Eurozone STOXX 50 and the pan-European STOXX 600 were both flat on the session. Luxury brands reversed their strong momentum from yesterday to close sharply lower, with LVMH, Hermes, Ferrari, L'Oreal, and EssilorLuxxotica all down between 3% and 1.5%. Meanwhile, companies in the crude oil exploration and extraction sector rose sharply amid a rebound in benchmark prices,...
US stocks rose on Wednesday (September 24), paring losses from the previous session as the market assessed the prospects for returns on large investments in artificial intelligence and the outlook for long-term US interest rates. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 rose 0.3%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 100 points. Companies in the AI sector rose sharply after Alibaba announced plans to increase AI spending beyond the $50 billion initially promised. The Chinese tech giant's depositary receipts (DRPs) jumped 8%, while Nvidia and MetaTrader 5 each rose nearly 1%. Meanwhile,...
The Hang Seng Index rose 1.4% at 26,518.65 in Hong Kong. The move follows the previous session's decrease of 0.7%. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. contributed the most to the index gain and had the largest move, increasing 9.2%. Today, 49 of 88 shares rose, while 36 fell; 2 of 4 sectors were higher, led by commerce and industry stocks. Source: Bloomberg
European stocks were lower on Wednesday, with the STOXX 50 falling 0.2% and the STOXX 600 losing 0.3%, as investors remained cautious following remarks from Fed Chair Powell the previous day. Powell highlighted persistent risks in both the labor market and inflation, while also noting that equity prices appear relatively high. Geopolitical tensions also stayed in focus, with US President Trump escalating his rhetoric against Russia. "I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form", Trump posted on social...
The Nikkei 225 rose 0.3% to close at 45,630 while the Topix gained 0.23% to 3,170 on Wednesday, reversing losses from earlier in the session, with technology shares driving gains. Japanese equities also drew support from foreign inflows and sustained global optimism around artificial intelligence. On the data front, September PMI figures showed manufacturing remained in contraction despite forecasts for growth, while services expanded at a slower pace. Investors now await Tokyo inflation data and the Bank of Japan's July meeting minutes for policy clues. Meanwhile, US markets retreated...
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....