Gold futures traded flat at around $3,308 per troy ounce, after previously weakening following the Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates. The Fed cited the risk of inflation due to tariffs as the primary reason, reinforcing the prospect of prolonged high interest rates, which typically dampens gold's appeal. The strengthening of the US dollar over the past week has also been a major factor weighing on gold prices. A stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for global buyers and reduces its appeal as a safe-haven asset. Gold prices at the time of writing were at...
Japan stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors led shares higher. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.57% to hit a new 1-month high. The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506), which rose 14.56% or 100.00 points to trade at 787.00 at the close. Meanwhile, TOTO Ltd. (TYO:5332) added 9.49% or 329.00 points to end at 3,794.00 and Tokuyama Corp. (TYO:4043) was up 7.31% or 198.00 points to 2,906.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Mitsui...
(Hong Kong) As April inches towards its final trading day, the Hang Seng Index opened higher by 30 points or 0.13%, reaching 22,038 points. Concurrently, the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped by 16 points or 0.2%, settling at 8,051 points, while the Hang Seng TECH Index rose by 10 points or 0.2%, closing at 5,030 points. In the tech sector, notable developments unfolded with Tencent edging up by 0.4%, Alibaba climbing by 1.2%, Meituan seeing no significant change, Xiaomi Group declining by 0.4%, JD.com slipping by 0.1%, and Kuaishou ascending by 0.1%.Following the release of...
Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed Wednesday as traders parse a slew of key economic data in the region. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.14% while the Topix added 0.5%. South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.2% and the Kosdaq dipped 0.25%. Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 traded flat. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slid 0.53% while China's CSI 300 traded flat after China's manufacturing activity fell more-than-expected into contractionary territory in April.The Bank of Japan kickstarts its policy meeting on Wednesday, and is widely expected to hold rates at 0.5% when the meeting concludes on...
Japanese shares rose on Wednesday as markets reopened following a one-day holiday. The Nikkei 225 edged up 0.2% to around 35,900, while the broader Topix Index climbed 0.7% to 2,670, extending recent gains. Investor sentiment was buoyed by comments from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the US held "substantial talks" with Japan regarding a potential trade agreement. However, domestic data provided a mixed picture—industrial production declined more than expected in March, and retail sales growth fell short of forecasts. Attention now shifts to the Bank of Japan's upcoming policy...
U.S. stocks closed higher on Tuesday, boosted by reports that a major trade deal is nearing completion and corporate earnings. The S&P 500 rose 0.58%, posting its sixth straight gain and marking its longest winning streak since November. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 300 points, or 0.75%, its best gain since July, while the Nasdaq Composite added 0.55%. Honeywell (+5.4%) and Sherwin-Williams (+4.9%) led the Dow after reporting strong quarterly results. General Motors fell 1.1%, after canceling its share buyback and withdrawing its outlook on possible tariffs while Amazon was...