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...
US President Donald Trump said Monday that auto tariffs would go into effect soon, though he indicated that not all of the levies he has threatened would go into effect on April 2 and that some countries might get waivers, a move Wall Street took as a sign of flexibility on an issue that has roiled markets for weeks. At the same time, Trump opened another front in the global trade war by imposing secondary tariffs of 25% on any country that buys oil or gas from Venezuela, a directive that sent oil prices soaring. At the White House, Trump told reporters that not all of the new tariffs...
United States (US) President Donald Trump spoke with reporters in Washington, DC on Monday, re-announcing plans to issue additional tariffs on automobiles, aluminum, and pharmaceuticals "soon". This follows the Trump administration's recent unilateral 25% import tax on all steel and aluminum entering the US. President Trump also took the opportunity to make a new tariff threat, announcing that the US would be imposing an additional 25% tariff on all goods coming to the US from countries that buy Venezuelan Crude Oil products. Never one to miss an opportunity to make a statement, Donald...
The S&P Global US Services PMI rose to 54.3 in March 2025, a three-month high, from 51 in February, surpassing market expectations of 50.8, preliminary data showed. Service sector output rebounded strongly after hitting a 15-month low in February, driven by improved business inflows, strengthening customer demand, and better weather conditions. However, exports remained a weak spot, declining for the third straight month. Employment edged up in April, reversing February's small decline, though job growth remained sluggish as firms hesitated to hire amid demand uncertainty. Input costs...
The S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.8 in March 2025 from 52.7 in February, missing market expectations of 51.8, a preliminary estimate showed. Manufacturing output declined after February's sharpest increase in nearly three years, with factories reporting fewer instances of output being boosted by the front-running of tariffs and new orders growth nearly stalling. Input purchasing in the sector also slipped back into decline. However, export sales saw their smallest decline in nine months, supported by rising orders from Canada, Germany, and other EU countries, suggesting...
The White House is adjusting its approach to tariffs that will take effect on April 2, likely eliminating a series of industry-specific tariffs while imposing reciprocal tariffs aimed at countries with significant trade ties with the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal. US President Donald Trump has declared April 2 as "Liberation Day" for the US, when he will implement so-called reciprocal tariffs that seek to match US tariffs with those imposed by trading partners, as well as tariffs on sectors such as autos, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, which he has repeatedly said...
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...