Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said on Thursday he continues to believe the U.S. central bank should cut interest rates at the end of this month amid mounting risks to the economy and the strong likelihood that tariff-induced inflation will not drive a persistent rise in price pressures. "It makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now," Waller told a gathering of the Money Marketeers of New York University. "I see the hard and soft data on economic activity and the labor market as consistent: The economy is still growing, but its momentum...
Japanese stocks rose after the close on Wednesday (6/25), as gains in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors boosted shares. At the close of trading in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.40% to hit a fresh 3-month high. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd. (TYO:6976), which rose 7.16% or 167.00 points to trade at 2,501.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Pacific Metals Co., Ltd. (TYO:5541) rose 4.08% or 66.00 points to close at 1,685.00 and SUMCO Corp. (TYO:5541) gained 4.08% or 66.00 points to close at 1,685.00. (TYO:3436) rose 3.93% or 41.50 points to close at...
Hong Kong shares rose 205 points, or 0.9%, to 24,385 in early trade on Wednesday (6/25), marking a fourth straight session of gains and maintaining a two-week high. The gains followed an overnight rally on Wall Street, which was driven by optimism that a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran would hold. Investors also cheered remarks by Fed Chairman Jerome Powell that the central bank is committed to containing inflation and will likely keep interest rates steady until the impact of tariffs becomes clearer. Sentiment was further supported by a third straight day of gains in mainland...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Wednesday, as investors digested a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, as well as fresh comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve. There was growing optimism that a truce between Israel and Iran brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to hold. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was flat. South Korea's Kospi rose 0.31%, while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 0.21%. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.11%, while the Topix fell 0.13%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.66% and mainland China's CSI 300 was flat. U.S. futures were nearly flat. Futures tied...
The Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1% to above 38,800 on Wednesday, while the broader Topix index fell 0.2% to 2,776, as Japanese equities struggled for direction amid geopolitical uncertainty. Investors weighed the sustainability of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel, with intelligence reports suggesting a recent U.S. missile strike failed to completely destroy Iran's main nuclear facility. Market participants also digested fresh comments from Fed Chair Powell, who reiterated the Fed's commitment to taming inflation and signaled that interest rates would likely remain unchanged until...
The S&P 500 closed higher Tuesday, underpinned by de-escalating Middle East tensions amid an Iran-Israel ceasefire and remarks by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome that kept the door open to rate cuts. By 4:00 p.m. ET (20:00 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 536 points, or 1.3%, higher, the S&P 500 index gained 1.2%, and the NASDAQ Composite advanced 1.6%. Iran-Israel ceasefire optimism boosts Wall StreetInvestors have been boosted by U.S. President Donald Trump declaring earlier Tuesday, via social media, that the ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now "in effect,"...
According to a statement by the Federal Reserve (Fed), Fed Chair Jerome Powell met with United States (US) President Donald Trump on Thursday, where the head of the Fed reiterated that the Fed's...
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) maintained its cash rate at 4.1% during its April meeting, holding borrowing costs unchanged after slashing 25 bps in the February meeting, aligning with market...