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...
The Hang Seng rose 111 points or 0.5% to finish at 24,140 on Friday, marking its second straight gain amid a bullish momentum in mainland stocks as hopes grew for a policy response from Beijing to address deflation risks. Weekly performance stood at 0.9%, bouncing back from previous losses. This was supported by China's new employment measures, which include increased unemployment insurance refunds and aid for firms facing labor costs. However, gains were trimmed later in the day after U.S. futures slipped sharply following President Trump's tariff threats against Europe and Canada....
Japan's Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.19% to close at 39,569 on Friday, reversing early gains as a sharp sell-off in Fast Retailing dragged the broader market lower. Shares of the Uniqlo parent tumbled 6.9% after the company warned that recently announced US tariffs would significantly impact its US operations later this year, prompting plans to raise prices in response. The warning came days after US President Donald Trump unveiled a 25% tariff on Japanese goods, set to take effect on August 1—further straining US-Japan trade ties. In response, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reiterated the...
Shares in Hong Kong jumped 424 points or 1.8% to 24,454 on Friday morning, extending gains from the prior session and hitting a two-week high. The uptrend tracked record closes on Wall Street, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reaching fresh highs. Optimism also mounted over a more coordinated policy response from China after June's producer prices posted the steepest drop in nearly two years. All sectors climbed, led by tech, financials, and consumer stocks. The market is up about 2% so far this week, rebounding from losses in the previous one. However, further gains were capped by caution...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.1% to around 39,690 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.35 to 2,820 on Friday, recouping losses from the previous session and tracking Wall Street higher, where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at new record highs. Investors, however, remained cautious amid growing tensions in US-Japan trade relations. US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on Japanese goods, set to take effect on August 1. In response, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba emphasized the need to reduce the country's reliance on the US in critical sectors such as defense,...
Asia-Pacific markets rose at the open Friday, tracking Wall Street gains after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at new record highs as investors seemed to shake off tariff concerns. Good morning from Singapore! The weather forecast is a bit bleak, but Asia-Pacific markets appear set for a bright open. Futures for Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 in Chicago were at 39,795, while their counterpart in Osaka last traded at 39,740 compared with the index's last close of 39,646.36. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 24,032, pointing to a slightly higher open compared to...
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...