Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, tracking Wall Street gains overnight. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.41% after hitting a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Topix added 0.61%. South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.83%, and the small-cap Kosdaq jumped 0.65%. Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 added 0.41%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 26,464, higher than its last close of 26,086.32. Equities in several parts of the world have been rallying as easing inflation pressures and expectations for U.S. rate cuts boost investor sentiment. "Momentum and the promise of...
A possible de-escalation of trade tensions between Beijing and Washington provided a fillip for markets on Friday, boosting risk sentiment and lifting stocks globally just as earnings from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) delivered a reminder of the trade war's true cost. China's Commerce Ministry said that Beijing was "evaluating" an offer from Washington to hold talks over U.S. President Donald Trump's 145% tariffs and that Beijing's door was open for discussions. At the same time, however, China said Washington needed to show "sincerity" in negotiations and should be prepared to cancel its unilateral...
The S&P Global Indonesia Manufacturing PMI tumbled to 46.7 in April 2025 from 52.4 in March, marking the first drop in factory activity for six months and the steepest fall since August 2021. Output fell the most in near four years, and new orders shrank after four months of growth. Foreign demand also weakened, with exports shrinking for the second time in three months. Employment fell for the first time in five months as backlogs of work declined modestly, and purchasing activity was scaled back after consistent gains. On a positive note, easing pressure on capacity led to improved...
U.S. manufacturing contracted further in April while tariffs on imported goods were straining supply chains, keeping prices paid for inputs elevated. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said on Thursday that its manufacturing PMI dropped to a five-month low of 48.7 last month from 49.0 in March. A PMI reading below 50 indicates contraction in the manufacturing sector, which accounts for 10.2% of the economy. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the PMI declining to 48. The survey covered Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, which ushered in sweeping duties on most...
Applications for US unemployment benefits jumped to the highest level since February during the week that followed Easter. Initial claims increased by 18,000 to 241,000 in the week ended April 26, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 223,000 applications. Continuing claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving benefits, rose to 1.92 million in the week ended April 19, the highest since 2021. That exceeds economists' forecasts. Source: Bloomberg
Ukraine and the U.S. on Wednesday signed a deal heavily promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump that will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction. The two countries signed the accord in Washington after months of sometimes fraught negotiations, with uncertainty persisting until the last moment with word of an eleventh-hour snag. The accord establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction as Trump tries to secure a peace settlement in Russia's three-year-old war in Ukraine. The agreement is...
Asia-Pacific markets traded higher, tracking Wall Street gains overnight.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.41% after hitting a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Topix added 0.61%. South...
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...
Less than four months ago, President Donald Trump met with Qatar's leader, praised his magnificent palace, and signed a comprehensive defense agreement with the Gulf monarchy, a key ally that hosts...