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...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he thought Vladimir Putin was ready to make a deal on ending the war in Ukraine after the Russian president floated the prospect of a nuclear arms agreement on the eve of their summit in Alaska. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his European allies have intensified their efforts this week to prevent any deal between the U.S. and Russia emerging from Friday's summit that leaves Ukraine vulnerable to future attack. "I think he's going to make a deal," Trump said in a Fox News radio interview, adding that if the meeting went well he would...
Core producer prices in the United States, which exclude food and energy, rose by 0.9% over a month in July 2025, marking the strongest increase since March 2022, after being flat in June. Figures came above market estimates of a 0.2% increase. On a yearly basis, core producer prices surged by 3.3% in July, after an upwardly revised 2.4% rise in the prior month and also surpassing forecasts of a 2.5% advance. Source: Trading Economics
Applications for US unemployment benefits edged lower last week, suggesting employers remain reluctant to layoff workers. Initial claims decreased by 3,000 to 224,000 in the week ended Aug. 9, which was about in line with economists' forecasts. Continuing claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving benefits, fell to 1.95 million in the previous week, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. Source: Bloomberg
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is due in London to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, to take stock ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's key talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Zelenskiy, who was in Germany on Wednesday, has been working with European leaders to press Trump not to allow Putin to carve up Ukraine's territory at the Alaska summit. He is due to meet Starmer at 9.30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT) at the British premier's official residence, 10 Downing Street. On Wednesday, Trump joined a Germany-hosted virtual meeting...
The UK economy fared better than expected in the second quarter, bringing some relief for Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves but raising the bar to further interest-rate cuts from the Bank of England. Gross domestic product rose 0.3%, the Office for National Statistics said Thursday, beating the 0.1% forecast by both private-sector economists and the Bank of England. Output in June alone gained 0.4% — double expectations — following modest declines in the previous two months. The figures suggest the economy held up during what always expected to be a difficult...
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...