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 by 87 points, or 0.4%, to close at 23,207 on Tuesday, following a weak session the day before, as it moved away from a four-week low, lifted by expansion in the Chinese manufacturing sector. A private survey showed that factory activity in the mainland grew the most in four months, following Monday's official data that revealed the manufacturing sector expanded at the fastest pace in a year. However, capping the gains, traders anticipated the unveiling of Trump's tariffs on Wednesday. Tech, commercial services, energy minerals, and miscellaneous sectors mainly drove the...
Japan's Topix Index eked out a small gain after paring most of its earlier rise, as a fall in US futures added to worries about Donald Trump's upcoming reciprocal tariffs. Topix rose 0.1% to 2,661.73 as of market close in Tokyo, after rising as high as 2,697.33 in morning trade Nikkei was virtually unchanged at 35,624.48 Drugmakers and trading houses contributed the most to the Topix's advance, while banks and electronics makers were the heaviest drag. "There's noticeable selling in sectors seen as sensitive to the economy, such as banks and tech," as concerns about...
European stocks rebounded on the first day of the quarter as investor focus remained on an expected tariff announcement from the US. The Stoxx 600 gained 0.9% at 8:06 a.m. in London. AstraZeneca Plc rose 1.6% as its experimental cholesterol drug significantly reduced "bad" cholesterol in a mid-stage trial. US President Donald Trump will announce his reciprocal tariff push on Wednesday during an event in the White House Rose Garden, his top spokeswoman said, adding that the announcement would feature "country-based" levies. European sectors exposed to duties, such...
Shares in Hong Kong rose by 142 points, or 0.6%, to 23,247 in morning deals on Tuesday, halting the bearish trend of the prior two sessions, supported by gains in tech, energy, and consumer services. Fresh data from China lifted sentiment after a private survey showed that factory activity in the mainland grew the most in four months, following Monday's official data that revealed the manufacturing sector expanded at the fastest pace in a year. The Hang Seng rebounded from a four-week low touched the day before, tracking a rise in Wall Street's S&P and Dow Jones overnight. However,...
The Shanghai Composite rose 0.6% to surpass 3,350, while the Shenzhen Component edged up 0.4% to 10,550 on Tuesday, with mainland stocks rebounding after a two-day decline as investors reacted positively to strong factory activity data. A private survey showed that Chinese manufacturing expansion accelerated more than expected in March, reaching a four-month high amid robust external demand. Total new orders grew for the sixth consecutive month, while new export orders recorded their fastest expansion in nearly a year. However, investor sentiment remained cautious as markets awaited the...
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...