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...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.53% to close at 42,580 while the broader Topix Index added 1.03% to 3,080 on Thursday, rebounding from the previous session's decline and tracking a tech-led rally on Wall Street. Gains were driven by Alphabet and Apple, which surged after Google's parent avoided a breakup in an antitrust case, though persistent concerns about the global economy kept sentiment cautious. A pullback in bond yields also supported equities, with Japan's 10-year yield easing from 17-year highs. On Wednesday, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda reaffirmed that the bank's stance on rate...
The Hang Seng Index opened up 145 points, or 0.57%, reaching 25,489 points. The National Enterprises Index gained 52 points, also up 0.57%, to stand at 9,102 points, while the Technology Index increased by 41 points, or 0.73%, to 5,725 points. Technology stocks performed well, with Tencent rising by 1%, Alibaba by 0.1%, Meituan by 0.3%, Xiaomi by 0.7%, JD.com by 1.6%, and Kuaishou by 1%. Financial stocks also supported the market, with HSBC Holdings up 0.8%, AIA Insurance increasing by 0.3%, China Ping An rising by 1%, and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing up by 0.3%. Source: DimsumDaily
Asia-Pacific markets rose Thursday following a tech rally overnight on Wall Street that lifted the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite, even as growing fears around the economy weighed on equities. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.57% in early trading, while the Topix index increased 0.41%. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 benchmark climbed 0.67%. Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi index traded 0.45% higher and the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.84%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 25,332, slightly lower than its last close of 25,343.43. Australia is set to release its...
Japanese stocks are trading higher, supported by positive overnight cues from the U.S. and a decline in Treasury yields. The Nikkei Stock Average is up 0.9% at 42308.62, helped by technology and financial stocks. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial is 1.1% higher, while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial and Mizuho Financial are trading up 0.7% each. Semiconductor Equipment & Materials Makers are higher with Advantest adding 2.2% and Tokyo Electron 0.4%. USD/JPY is down 0.5% at 148.06. Source: Bloomberg
Wall Street ended mixed on Wednesday as tech strength offset broader market weakness, with investors weighing a favorable antitrust ruling for Google against signs of labor market softening. The S&P 500 gained 0.5% and the Nasdaq rose 1%, supported by a 9.1% surge in Alphabet shares after a judge allowed the company to keep Chrome and maintain its lucrative search deal with Apple, easing fears of a forced breakup. Apple stock rose 3.8%, helping boost confidence in Big Tech's resilience despite regulatory pressures. Conversely, the Dow fell 24 points as weakness in financials and energy...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he plans to hold talks about the war in Ukraine in coming days after his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August failed to achieve a breakthrough. Trump has been frustrated at his inability to get a halt to the fighting, which began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after he initially predicted he would be able to end the war swiftly when he took office last January. Trump said he would be holding talks in the next few days. A White House official said Trump is expected to speak on the phone on Thursday...
European shares ended higher on Wednesday, stabilising as investors assessed fiscal challenges after a selloff in longer-dated bonds had sparked risk-off sentiment in the previous session. The continent-wide STOXX 600 index closed 0.65% higher at 546.72 points, boosted by healthcare stocks such as Roche Holdings and AstraZeneca. Basic resources also extended support by rising 1.5%, influenced by a jump in copper prices on growing expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut later in the month. The day's moves follow the STOXX 600's biggest one-day loss in a month on Tuesday, driven by a...
A rally in the world's largest tech companies drove stocks higher as bonds rebounded after weak jobs data validated wagers the Federal Reserve will resume cutting rates in September. Equities extended gains and bond yields fell after data showed US job openings fell in July to the lowest in 10 months, reinforcing bets on at least two Fed reductions in 2025. Following a two-day slide, the S&P 500 also gained amid a court victory for Big Tech that saw Alphabet Inc. surging 8% as Google dodged a sale of its Chrome web...
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....