US consumer sentiment fell to 58.6 in August from 61.7—the first decline since April. The University of Michigan survey was conducted July 29–August 11, with tariff concerns again weighing on confidence. Full-year inflation expectations rose to 4.9%, while the 5–10-year forecast was 3.9%. Both were worse than economists' forecasts. Job concerns also increased: 62% of respondents predicted unemployment would rise. 58% planned to cut back on spending (cars, household goods, dining out), and durable goods purchasing conditions fell to their lowest in a year. Meanwhile, retail sales continued...
Tokyo stocks edged lower in early trade, amid uncertainty over additional tariffs and after U.S. authorities told Nvidia semiconductors they would need export permits to China. The Topix fell 0.1% to 2,512.02 as of 9:28 a.m. Tokyo time The Nikkei fell 0.3% to 34,176.54 Advantest was the biggest contributor to the Topix decline, down 4.4%. Of the 1,689 stocks in the index, 986 rose and 598 fell, while 105 were unchanged. "The tighter restrictions on Nvidia products show that tensions between the U.S. and China are escalating, and it's hard to invest in technology stocks unless the overall...
U.S. stocks gyrated on Tuesday, as investors analyzed the latest batch of first-quarter earnings reports and enjoyed a recent decline in market turmoil. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 155.83 points, or 0.38%, to close at 40,368.96. The S&P 500 declined 0.17% and ended at 5,396.63, and Nasdaq Composite ticked down 0.05% and settled at at 16,823.17. The three averages are coming off back-to-back winning sessions. Tuesday's muted moves were in stark contrast to the volatile swings seen in recent sessions. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), known as Wall Street's "fear gauge," fell...
European stocks closed firmly higher on Tuesday, extending the sharp gains from last session after prospects that the US could pause tariffs for autos and parts supported key sectors of the European economy. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 gained 1.2% and the pan-European STOXX 600 jumped 1.6%. Investor sentiment was buoyed by President Trump's remarks on Monday, indicating he is considering temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and parts to give automakers more time to expand US-based production. Besides aiding companies with exposure to the auto sector, the remarks supported hopes...
The three major averages in the US were up nearly 0.3% on Tuesday, as investors weighed trade war developments against rising hopes for a temporary pause in auto tariffs. President Trump said on Monday he is considering temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and auto parts, aiming to give manufacturers more time to ramp up US-based production. At the same time, the Commerce Department announced a new investigation into the national security implications of semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports, a move seen as laying the groundwork for fresh tariffs in those sectors. In...
The Hang Seng rose 49 points or 0.23% to finish at 21,466 on Tuesday, extending its winning streak to a sixth session and holding at a two-month peak. U.S. tariff exclusions on specific electronics continued to support sentiment, which helped ease concerns about President Trump's reciprocal tariffs on China. At the same time, U.S. futures were slightly higher after back-to-back gains on Wall Street S&P 500 Monday, with attention shifting to upcoming Q1 earnings results. However, advances were capped as investors awaited more clarity on trade developments, particularly after the U.S....
China's official NBS Manufacturing PMI increased to 49.7 in June 2025 from May's 49.5, matching market expectations while marking the third consecutive month of contraction in factory activity.
It...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
President Donald Trump said he would set levies on semiconductors in the coming two weeks, the latest indication he's readying a substantial expansion of his tariff regime.
"I'll be...