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...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Tuesday with focus on the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate decision later in the day. The RBA is expected to hold its cash rate steady at 3.6%, according to a Reuters poll, as high inflation has restricted its ability to loosen monetary policy. "The Reserve Bank of Australia's policy meeting on Tuesday is the key event in the Asia-Pacific region," said Shier Lee Lim, lead FX and macro strategist of APAC in Convera. "Any shift in tone or forward guidance could move AUD crosses, especially after recent volatility in building approvals, with August...
US stocks closed higher on Monday as investors tried to stabilize the market following last week's losses driven by cracks in AI-related trading and concerns over new tariffs. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Nasdaq 100 advanced 0.4%, and the Dow Jones added 69 points, supported by gains in tech and AI-focused companies such as Nvidia (+2.1%), AMD (+1.2%), and Micron Technology (+4.2%). Video game company Electronic Arts jumped 4.5% after announcing a $55 billion take-private deal, reflecting broader M&A momentum that has topped $1 trillion this year. Market participants are closely...
European stock markets edged higher on Monday, as investors looked ahead to a trading week due to feature key economic data and a potential U.S. government shutdown. The pan-European Stoxx 600 had climbed by 0.3%, while the Dax in Germany gained 0.2%, the CAC 40 in France rose 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. increased around 0.2%. Shares of Britain's GSK rallied over 2%, boosting the wider health care sector, on news that the drugmaker's CEO Emma Walmsley will step down. Walmsley is due to be replaced by Luke Miels in January. AstraZeneca's stock price also ticked up after the U.K....
Stocks rose on Monday as Wall Street tried to regain its footing after a week in which the artificial intelligence trade lost some steam. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 70 points higher, or 0.2%. The S&P 500 climbed 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6%. AI-related stock Nvidia rose after skepticism around the AI trade put pressure on the broader stock market last week. Some traders even questioned whether there was enough energy to power an infrastructure plan between Nvidia and OpenAI. Nvidia was last up more than 2%. Meanwhile, shares of Electronic Arts jumped more...
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...
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....