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...
Hong Kong stocks rose 341 points, or 1.4%, to 23,824 in early trading on Thursday (3/27), extending gains for a second session amid broad gains. Sentiment was boosted after Wall Street banks turned bullish on Chinese stocks. Morgan Stanley raised its 2025 year-end target for mainland stocks for the second time this year, while Goldman Sachs projected further gains driven by positive earnings revisions. A slight 0.3% year-on-year decline in China's industrial profits for the first two months of 2025 also lent support, following a 3.3% decline in 2024 and reinforcing signs that Beijing's...
Asia-Pacific markets fell Thursday, tracking losses on Wall Street as investors weighed U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was down 1.14% lower while the broader Topix index lost 0.70%. Over in South Korea, the Kospi index declined 0.95% while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 0.54%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.19% while mainland China's CSI 300 started the day 0.25% lower. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.57%. U.S. futures edged down after the three key Wall Street indexes logged losses overnight. The S&P 500 lost 1.12% and...
The Nikkei 225 slipped 0.5% to below 37,900, while the broader Topix Index lost 0.4% to 2,800 on Thursday, snapping a two-day rally. Automakers led the decline after US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all imported cars and light trucks, set to take effect next week. Japanese carmakers saw steep losses, including Toyota Motor (-2.9%), Honda Motor (-2.3%), Subaru (-5.7%), Mazda Motor (-5.3%), and Nissan Motor (-3.5%). Technology stocks also retreated following a tech-led selloff on Wall Street. Sharp declines were recorded in Advantest (-5.3%), Fujikura (-5.1%), Disco...
Stocks dipped on Wednesday, led lower by tech, as pressure on the tariff front mounted. The S&P 500 lost 1.12% and ended at 5,712.20, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 132.71 points, or 0.31%, to close at 42,454.79. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed 2.04% and closed at 17,899.01, as Nvidia shares dropped nearly 6%. Major tech names such as Meta Platforms and Amazon dropped more than 2%, while Alphabet lost more than 3%. Tesla slid more than 5%. Stocks hit session lows after the White House said that President Donald Trump will unveil new tariffs on auto imports during a...
Stocks dipped on Wednesday, led lower by tech, as pressure on the tariff front mounted. The S&P 500 lost 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 205 points lower, or 0.5%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite shed about 2%, as Nvidia shares dropped more than 6%. Other major tech names such as Meta, Amazon and Alphabet lost more than 2% each, while Tesla slid more than 5.5%. Stocks hit session lows after the White House said that President Donald Trump will unveil new tariffs on auto imports during a press conference at 4 p.m. ET. General Motors and Ford shares each dropped more...
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...