Renewed tensions between the United States and Russia have resurfaced following an incident involving an oil tanker, sparking market concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies. Washington's move, associated with tightening oversight and enforcement of sanctions on Russian oil shipments, is viewed by Moscow as provocative and could worsen relations between the two countries. Russia views these actions as an attempt by the United States to suppress Russian energy exports and strengthen its dominance in the global oil market. Meanwhile, Washington argues that these measures...
The Hang Seng closed almost flat at 23,202 on Wednesday, following modest gains in the prior session, as strength in tech and financials were offset by weakness in property and consumers. Traders awaited President Trump's announcement on new reciprocal tariffs later today. The new duties are set to take effect immediately, the White House said, while a separate 25% tariff on auto imports will be enforced from April 3. On the geopolitical front, China conducted a second day of military drills around Taiwan on Wednesday, rattling market sentiment. At the same time, upbeat manufacturing data...
European markets opened lower Wednesday as global traders brace themselves for a raft of fresh trade tariffs due to be announced by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. After rebounding Tuesday, the regional Stoxx 600 index was back in the red early Wednesday, down 0.23% shortly after the open. Most sectors notched declines, though travel and oil and gas stocks posted slight gains. Investors are concerned that the White House could be erring toward more punitive import duties after Trump said earlier this week that his "reciprocal tariffs" plan will target "all countries" when...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.3% to around 35,520, while the broader Topix Index dropped 0.9% to 2,637 on Wednesday, extending this week's selloff as investors geared up for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. Trump is also set to impose levies on car imports, affecting a key export industry in Japan. Data earlier this week showed that business sentiment in Japan weakened for the first quarter amid mounting concerns over the potential effects of US tariffs on Japan's export-driven economy. Investors now await household spending data on Friday for further economic...
Hong Kong stocks fell 52 points or 0.2% to 23,161 in early deals on Wednesday, reversing a modest gain in the previous session amid losses in most sectors. Investors took a cautious stance ahead low as US futures drifted lower. Uncertainty also grew over China's policy stimulus, raising concerns about whether it would be timely and sufficient to counter escalating trade pressures. Goldman Sachs analysts warned that China's manufacturing activity could face pressures in the coming months due to additional trade barriers. Locally, Hong Kong's retail sales plunged 15.0% yoy in February,...
Asia-Pacific markets opened slightly higher Wednesday as investors brace for U.S. President Donald Trump to roll out fresh tariffs this week. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.06%, while the Topix declined 0.3%. South Korea's Kospi added 0.14% and the small-cap Kosdaq inched up 0.12%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 traded 0.63% higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures last traded at 23,150, lower than the HSI's Tuesday close of 23,206.64. U.S. stock futures moved higher as Wall Street awaits the expected rollout of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Wednesday. Overnight in the U.S., the three...
Asian stock markets fell in unison on Thursday, following Wall Street's decline. A brief rally in tech stocks led by Nvidia quickly faded, prompting investors to turn away from riskier assets like...
European stock indices closed marginally lower on Wednesday as equities took a breather from their recent strong momentum, while investors continued to assess the outlook for the ECB's policy this...
The upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump's massive tariffs, which rocked markets in April, is one of the next major tests for US stocks and bonds.
Equity markets...