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...
Japanese equities surged on Tuesday, with the Nikkei 225 rallying 6.03% to close at 33,012 and the broader Topix Index jumping 6.26% to 2,432, as investors welcomed signs of easing trade tensions between Japan and the US. The rebound followed news that US President Donald Trump agreed to hold trade talks with Japanese officials after a phone call with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that Japan would likely be prioritized for tariff relief due to its prompt engagement. Meanwhile, Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato pledged to take all necessary...
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher Tuesday, rebounding from previous session's losses over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy and threats of even higher levies against China.Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.18% at the open.Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 6.41% while the Topix gained 6.81%. South Korea's Kospi rose 1.7% while the small-cap Kosdaq climbed 2.35%.Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 2.25%, while the Hang Seng Tech Index jumped 4.17%. Hong Kong's stock market led losses in the region on Monday, with the Hang Seng Index plummeting over 13% to log its steepest one-day decline since...
Hong Kong shares jumped 495 points or 2.5% to 20,304 in Tuesday morning trade, attempting to recover from a historic 13.2% plunge in the previous session—the steepest one-day loss since 2008. The upturn was supported by broad-based gains, led by strength in the tech and consumer sectors. Sentiment improved, buoyed by a sharp rise in U.S. futures, after Wall Street's S&P 500 posted its third consecutive loss overnight in the wake of President Trump's latest tariff announcement. Meanwhile, Beijing warned it will "fight to the end" if the U.S. moves forward with additional tariffs,...
The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 6% to around 33,000 while the broader Topix Index gained 3.5% to 2,370 on Tuesday, recouping losses from the previous session after US President Donald Trump said that he agreed to meet with Japanese officials to begin trade negotiations following a phone call with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. However, volatility is expected to remain high as Trump threatened China with another 50% tariff on top of existing levies if Beijing does not lift its duties on US imports. Financial stocks led the rebound after bearing the brunt of the recent selloff, with strong gains...
U.S. stocks closed mostly lower on Monday (07/04), as markets reacted to President Donald Trump's escalating trade war with China, including threats to impose additional tariffs of 50% if Beijing does not roll back its retaliatory measures. The S&P 500 fell 0.7%, the Dow Jones dropped 342 points in a wild session marked by record intraday moves, and the Nasdaq 100 closed up 0.2% after earlier plunging more than 3%. Volatility surged across asset classes, with equities, Treasuries and commodities all being tossed around by conflicting headlines, including speculation about a 90-day tariff...
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...