The Hang Seng Index reversed its downward trend in Hong Kong on Thursday (February 12th), weakening by around 0.9% to around 27,000 after a strong session earlier. This decline halted the momentum of the short term rally, as investors began to reduce risk in large cap stocks. Among the index's contributors, Tencent was a major drag, with its shares falling by around 2.3%, putting pressure on the technology sector, which has recently been a driving force behind market gains. Weakness in large cap companies like this typically quickly impacts sentiment due to their significant weighting in...
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States may store and possibly sell oil seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks, as Reuters reported on Monday. Trump added that the US would also store the seized vessels. "Maybe we'll sell it, maybe we'll keep it," Trump said, adding that the oil might also be used to replenish the United States' strategic reserves. (alg) Source: FXstreet
President Vladimir Putin said he is willing to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine, despite rejecting changes sought by Kyiv and Europe to the U.S. peace plan drafted with Moscow. Putin said he has "practically agreed" to the proposals to end the war outlined in summit talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska in August. "To say that we reject something is simply incorrect and has no basis in fact," he said Friday at his annual televised press conference in Moscow. "This issue is entirely on the side of our Western opponents, so to speak, primarily the leaders" of Ukraine and...
Japan's annual inflation rate edged down to 2.9% in November 2025 from October's 3-month high of 3.0%. Core inflation stood at 3.0%, keeping the same pace as in October and aligning with estimates. Monthly, the CPI rose 0.4%, matching October's reading and staying at its highest in eight months. Source: Trading Economi
Goldman Sachs sees gold prices climbing 14% to $4,900 per ounce by December 2026 in its base case, it said in a note on Thursday, while citing upside risks to this view due to a potential broadening of diversification to private investors. In a note in which the bank discussed its views on commodities for 2026, Goldman Sachs said it expects structurally high central bank demand and cyclical support from U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts to lift the price of gold. It continues to recommend long exposure in the yellow metal. Spot gold was trading at $4,334.93 per ounce at 1824 GMT on...
The BRICS group of countries is increasingly being considered as an alternative for global diplomacy and cooperation amidst increasing tariff and protectionist policies from the United States. A number of developing countries view BRICS as a platform to strengthen trade, investment, and financial cooperation without over-reliance on a Western-dominated system. US tariff pressure is pushing many countries to seek a more balanced economic and political path. Through BRICS, member countries are seeking to expand the use of local currencies, strengthen supply chains, and enhance solidarity...