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...
European stocks started the new trading week in positive territory, although investors will be looking to see if global market volatility continues. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was 0.1% higher shortly after the opening bell, with most sectors moving higher. European markets ended the week higher Friday after German lawmakers reportedly came closer to agreeing on reforming the country's so-called debt brake rule. Media reports said Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz had won support from the Greens party to hike public borrowing to allow an increase in defense...
Japan stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Power, Rubber and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors led shares higher. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.95%. The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (TYO:7011), which rose 12.17% or 311.00 points to trade at 2,867.00 at the close. Meanwhile, IHI Corp. (TYO:7013) added 9.70% or 1,045.00 points to end at 11,820.00 and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co (TYO:6305) was up 6.33% or 253.00 points to 4,250.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the...
Hong Kong equities jumped 375 points or 1.6% to 24,338 in Monday morning trading, extending gains for the second session. Optimism over China's newly announced "Special Action Plan to Boost Consumption," aimed at stimulating domestic demand, supported the rally. In addition, state media Xinhua said that Beijing also plans to stabilize the stock and real estate markets, boost the birth rate, and support inbound and domestic tourism. These comprehensive measures were unveiled on Sunday. On the economic data front, China's industrial output rose 5.9% yoy in the first two months of 2025,...
The Nikkei 225 Index surged 1.2% to above 37,400, while the broader Topix Index also gained 1.2% to 2,748 on Monday, with both benchmarks reaching their highest levels in over a week amid a broad market advance. Japanese shares mirrored a relief rally on Wall Street from Friday, as investors continued to assess evolving trade policies and broader economic uncertainties in the US. Market sentiment also received a boost after China unveiled a special action plan over the weekend, introducing measures to increase wages and stabilize stock and real estate markets. Leading the gains were index...
tocks rallied Friday, clawing back some of the steep losses seen over the week, as investors got a reprieve from tariff-related headlines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 674.62 points, or 1.65%, to close at 41,488.19. The S&P 500 climbed 2.13% to end at 5,638.94, and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.61% to settle at 17,754.09. It was the best day in 2025 for both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq. Big tech shares that were rattled earlier this week saw a sharp recovery on Friday. Nvidia shares popped more than 5%. Tesla jumped nearly 4%, and Meta Platforms gained close to 3%. Amazon...
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...