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 rallied in Wednesday morning trading, with the benchmark index rising 357 points, or 1.4%, to 25,324. This increase extended the rally into a second session and brought the market to a two-week high, with broad-based gains across most sectors. Positive sentiment came from Wall Street, which posted solid gains overnight after weaker US inflation data. The data reinforced speculation that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates in September to support the improving labor market. In mainland China, markets also rallied to a three-year high. The main boost came from the...
Japanese stocks are higher as lower-than-expected U.S. inflation keeps expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts intact. Electronics and auto stocks are leading gains. Advantest is up 3.5% and Subaru Corp. is 2.2% higher. USD/JPY is at 147.85, compared with 148.28 as of Tuesday's Tokyo stock market close. Investors are closely watching any U.S. tariff news as well as domestic political developments. The Nikkei Stock Average is up 0.8% at 43058.55, after closing at a record high on Tuesday. Source : Dow Jones Newswires
Wall Street's major indexes rose on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hitting record highs, gaining 1.1% and 1.4% respectively, after July's inflation data largely met expectations. The Consumer Price Index increased 0.2% month-over-month and 2.7% year-over-year, easing concerns about rising prices amid ongoing trade tensions. This bolstered expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut next month, with traders pricing in about a 90% chance of a 25-basis-point reduction in September. The Dow climbed 483 points, supported by easing trade tensions after President Trump extended a 90-day...
US stocks traded higher on Tuesday, with the three major averages up about 0.5%, as the latest CPI report bolstered expectations of a Fed rate cut next month. Headline annual inflation held at 2.7% in July, below the 2.8% forecast, while core inflation accelerated more than expected to 3.1%. The figures indicated that tariff-related price pressures remain limited so far, giving the Fed room to deliver a 25 bps cut in September. Rate-cut odds, which were at 88% late yesterday, have now climbed to nearly 93%. Sentiment was also lifted after President Trump extended the suspension of steep...
The Hang Seng rose 63 points or 0.25% to close at 24,970 on Tuesday, swinging from early losses and marking the second straight gain. Sentiment finally improved after Washington and Beijing extended their tariff truce by another 90 days, averting triple-digit duties on Chinese exports to the U.S. Meanwhile, mainland markets have trended higher in recent weeks as investors look ahead to October's key annual conclave, expected to focus on the next five-year economic plan. On the economic front, China's vehicle sales grew 14.7% yoy in July, accelerating from June's 13.8%, according to the...
European stocks traded higher on Tuesday (August 12th), with the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 rising nearly 0.3%, recovering from a sluggish session the previous day, as traders welcomed the extension of the US-China trade truce. President Trump extended the suspension of high tariffs on Chinese goods for another 90 days, until November 10th, while China announced a similar extension for its own tariff suspension. Investors also digested key European economic data, with no major earnings reports scheduled. In the UK, recent data confirmed that the labor market continues to slow, although wage...
The Nikkei 225 jumped 2.15% to close at 42,718, while the broader Topix Index rose 1.39% to 3,066 in post-holiday trading on Tuesday (August 12th), with both benchmarks hitting new record highs thanks to strong corporate performance and improving global trade sentiment. The US-China trade truce was extended for 90 days, easing tensions and giving negotiators more time to finalize a deal. Domestically, investors continued to assess the Bank of Japan's policy outlook, with board members still divided over the timing and pace of future interest rate hikes. In corporate news, SoftBank Group...
Hong Kong stocks fell 84 points, or 0.3%, to 24,826 in a volatile Tuesday morning session, reversing the previous day's modest gains. Investors were cautious following negative sentiment on Wall Street overnight, ahead of key US inflation data, with the CPI figures due today and the PPI scheduled for Thursday. The decline was led by technology and consumer discretionary stocks, while property stocks were muted despite the Beijing government lifting restrictions on home purchases in the suburbs. Further declines were capped by the latest tariff developments, after President Trump signed an...
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....