Gold steadied and was set for a moderate weekly loss as investors assessed the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts after resilient US jobs and retail data eased concerns about the economy. Bullion traded below $3,340 an ounce in early Asian hours, heading for a 0.5% drop on the week. That came after data that showed applications for unemployment benefits fell for a fifth straight week to the lowest level since mid-April, and advancing retail sales in June. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said she still thinks it's reasonable for policymakers to plan on two interest-rate cuts this...
European stocks edged lower on Tuesday on trade uncertainty with doubts on whether the ECB would continue to cut interest rates. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 fell 0.3% to 5,288, and the pan-European STOXX 600 dropped 0.2% to 540. Reports indicated that the EU is open to a deal involving a 10% universal tariff on many of its exports, but is seeking concessions from the US on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors, and commercial aircraft. The EU's trade chief is expected to lead a delegation to Washington this week in an effort to advance the talks, according to sources...
The US stock market moved without a clear direction on Tuesday. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fluctuated, while the Dow Jones rose about 200 points, extending the previous day's gains. The S&P 500's quarterly performance recorded its best record since 2023. Investors are still watching developments in trade negotiations and discussions on the budget bill in the US Congress. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that the impact of tariffs on prices would likely only be seen in the next few months. However, he also emphasized that most Fed officials support a rate cut before the end of...
Both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600 edged up 0.1% on Tuesday, as investors continued to monitor trade negotiations with the US ahead of the looming July 9th deadline for reciprocal tariffs. Bloomberg reported that the European Union is open to a deal involving a 10% universal tariff on many of its exports, but is seeking concessions from the US on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors, and commercial aircraft. The EU's trade chief is expected to lead a delegation to Washington this week in an effort to advance the talks, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. On...
Japan's Nikkei share average snapped a five-day winning streak to fall more than 1% on Tuesday, as investors sold stocks amid uncertainty over U.S.-Japan trade talks. The Nikkei fell 1.24% to 39,986.33, slipping from the highest level since mid-July, which it reached in the previous session. The broader Topix slipped 0.73% to 2,832.07. "The market was overheated, but there were some factors that boosted demand last month," said Hiroyuki Ueno, chief strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management. Japanese equities mirrored a rally in U.S. stocks in the past several sessions, but...
Japanese shares slid, snapping a five-day winning streak, as a stronger yen weighed on exporters and fresh comments from Donald Trump clouded expectations for progress in US-Japan tariff negotiations. Topix Index fell 0.8% to 2,830.16 as of 10:37 a.m. Tokyo time Nikkei declined 1.1% to 40,035.03 Out of 1,681 stocks in the Topix, 433 rose and 1,191 fell, while 57 were unchanged. The yen rose as much as 0.4% against the dollar Tuesday morning, holding its gains after better-than-forecast business sentiment data. That pressured large-cap exporters and dragged down the...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Tuesday as investors assessed the record gains on Wall Street and the global impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies as his 90-day tariff reprieve is set to expire next week. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that there are "countries that are negotiating in good faith." However, he added that tariffs could still "spring back" to the levels announced on April 2 "if we can't get across the line because they are being recalcitrant." Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark fell 0.58% after hitting an over 11-month high in its previous...
U.S. stocks rose on Monday as investors looked to close out a volatile first half of 2025 with fresh record highs. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both rose 0.5%, extending their all-time highs, while the Dow gained 207 points, helped by strong performances from Big Tech giants such as Microsoft and Meta, which also hit new peaks. Optimism grew amid signs of progress in trade negotiations, highlighted by Canada's recent decision to scrap its digital services tax targeting U.S. tech companies—an easing of tensions that had rattled markets. Investors remained focused on a July 9 deadline for...
European stocks closed mostly lower on Monday as markets assessed the extent of U.S. tariffs on major trading partners. The STOXX 50 fell 0.4% to 5,305 and the STOXX 200 lost 0.4% to 542. U.S. officials helped make progress on negotiations with key partners such as China and the European Union, while Canada scrapped a planned Digital Services Tax following President Trump's announcement over the weekend that he would halt all trade discussions with Canada. Monday also marked the official start of the U.K.-U.S. trade deal brokered last month. On the data front, inflation in Germany...
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....