Oil prices rose slightly in trading on Tuesday (January 20) after better-than-expected Chinese economic data boosted demand optimism. Brent crude rose 19 cents (0.3%) to $64.13/barrel, while February WTI which expires today rose 25 cents (0.4%) to $59.69/barrel. The more active March WTI contract also edged higher to around $59.42/barrel. This strengthening was driven by news from China, the world's largest oil importer. The Chinese economy reportedly grew 5.0% through 2025, meeting the government's target. Refinery activity also increased, with refinery throughput rising 4.1% and crude oil...
Stocks rose on Monday as major technology names outperformed to start the week, while traders shrugged off President Donald Trump's latest U.S. tariff threats. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was trading about 167 points higher, or nearly 0.4%, led by a roughly 4% gain in McDonald's. The S&P 500 was up 0.67%, and the Nasdaq Composite was up about 0.98%. Markets remained jittery on a mix of inflation concerns coupled with worries about how Trump's tariff plans could hurt the U.S. economy. Trump told reporters Sunday that he plans to announce a blanket tariff of 25% on all steel and...
US stocks were higher to kick off the week, with the S&P 500 rising 0.5%, the Nasdaq adding 0.7% and the Dow Jones gaining about 270 points, with traders digesting fresh tariffs and awaiting key economic data and Fed Chair Powell's testimony to Congress. President Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum into the US and said new reciprocal tariffs would also be announced this week. Steel-related companies got a boost on the news, namely Cleveland-Cliffs (14.2%), Nucor (6.2%), Steel Dynamics (4.3%), US Steel Corp (4%), and Alcoa...
The Hang Seng soared 388 points or 1.8% to end at 21,522 on Monday, rising for the third session and notching their highest level since early October amid widespread sector gains. Concerns about China's deflation notably eased after Sunday's data showed consumer inflation hit a 5-month high due to solid holiday spending. In addition, worries about trade row between China and the US waned, with many traders viewing US tariff threats as negotiation tactics. The tech index climbed over 2.5% on continued optimism around China's AI tech. Meanwhile, China's three largest telecom operators --...
Major bourses in Europe kicked off the week slightly higher, with both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600 adding about 0.2%, as traders try to shrug off concerns about the trade war. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum into the US and said new reciprocal tariffs would also be announced this week. This came as China's retaliatory tariffs on select US exports are set to take effect today, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that the EU is ready to respond "within an hour" if the US imposes tariffs on European goods. Real...
Asia-Pacific markets fell Monday, tracking U.S. stocks futures that were lower ahead of key economic data, with escalating trade tensions denting investor sentiment. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that he was planning to announce a blanket 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports on Monday, according to Reuters. Over in Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 was trading flat, while the broader Topix index fell 0.16%, in choppy trading. The country reported loan growth of 3% year on year in January, falling slightly from December's 3.1%. South Korea's Kospi was flat in...