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...
Hong Kong stocks rose 213 points, or 0.8%, to 26,025 on Monday morning, extending their gains for a second session as market participants opened the final week of 2025. The Hang Seng Index also hovered near a three-week high, with gains across many sectors. Sentiment was also boosted by the Shanghai market, where the benchmark index recorded a ninth straight day of gains on Monday—its longest streak since April. On the policy front, Beijing signaled on Sunday that it would be more proactive fiscally next year, focusing on domestic demand, technological innovation, and social...
Global stocks held near record levels, while silver briefly hit a new peak before breaking its closing high amid quiet holiday trading. Asian stock indicators rose 0.2% in early trading, while US stock futures held steady after the S&P 500 closed near its all-time high on Friday. Silver briefly rallied 6% and broke through $80 per share for the first time, but then reversed its gains and fell more than 2%. "We are witnessing a generational bubble unfolding in silver," wrote IG Australia analyst Tony Sycamore on Sunday, highlighting the strong speculative drive and extreme price...
Japanese stocks weakened in quiet trading amid uncertainty about the economic outlook and the strength of corporate earnings performance going forward. The electronics sector led the declines, primarily due to pressure. At 00:32 GMT, the Nikkei Stock Average fell 0.2% to 50,630.94. Market movements were said to remain fragile as investors weighed the risks of an economic slowdown and potential pressure on corporate earnings. At the stock level, several names in the technology/electronics sector weighed. Kioxia Holdings fell 2.8%, while Canon Inc. fell 1.9%, reflecting weakening interest in...
The S&P 500 and Dow rose 0.1%, closing at record highs as strength in the technology and energy sectors offset caution related to strong growth data. The Nasdaq also rose 0.1%. Nvidia rose 1% after announcing a licensing deal with AI startup Groq, reviving demand for AI-related stocks and supporting the broader megacap complex. Energy stocks also found support as renewed U.S. action and rhetoric against Venezuelan exports helped support crude oil prices. At the same time, investors digested the delayed BEA release showing third-quarter GDP grew at a strong annualized pace of 4.3%,...
US equity futures remained sluggish on Friday (December 26th), expected to remain in thin trading after the market closed for a holiday. Contracts tracking the S&P 500 and the Dow held near their record highs amid expectations that continued economic growth and more accommodative monetary policy are supporting earnings prospects. Despite optimism that corporate earnings will remain strong, skepticism about the magnitude of the Fed's interest rate cuts next year and lingering concerns that excessive capital spending on AI infrastructure prevented a sharper "Santa Claus rally" as the new...
The Nikkei 225 rose 267 points, or 0.5%, to end at 50,675 on Friday, rebounding from three muted sessions and posting a second straight weekly gain of 0.7%, lifted by strength in several heavyweight blue chips. Meanwhile, Japan's broader Topix index briefly hit a record high before easing. Sentiment was lifted by cabinet approval of a record budget for FY 2026, aimed at balancing proactive fiscal support with long-term debt management, and set to be submitted to the Diet in January. Markets also reacted to plans that Tokyo may reduce issuance of super-long bonds next year, pulling benchmark...
Japanese stocks rose on Friday, though market movements were thin as many foreign investors were absent for holidays. The Topix index rose 0.1% to 3,423.06, while the Nikkei index rose 0.7% to 50,750.39. The gains were driven by technology and export stocks. Nintendo contributed the most to the Topix's rise, rising 2.3%, while AI companies like Disco Corp. and SoftBank Group also posted significant gains. Export stocks in Japan received a boost after the yen weakened slightly against the US dollar, which has boosted the competitiveness of Japanese companies in the global market. Masahiro...
Asian markets opened trading on December 26, 2025, with mixed movements after the Christmas holiday. Market liquidity remained relatively thin, and most exchanges moved slowly, amid positive sentiment from Wall Street, which recorded a new record close before the holiday. Despite reduced trading volume, investors remained cautious and cautious. Major stocks on the Nikkei 225 and Chinese markets remained in focus, while several exchanges in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia remained closed or traded flat due to the holiday. In commodity markets, gold and silver prices continued to hit record...
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....