Japan's Topix index jumped 0.72% to an all-time high of 2,988 on Thursday, while the Nikkei 225 gained 0.65% to 41,059, marking its third consecutive session of gains. The rally followed a strong performance on Wall Street overnight, driven by strong corporate earnings, as investors largely shrugged off new US tariff announcements. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, excluding companies building in the US, and doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in response to continued Russian oil imports. The best-performing stocks included Fujikura (+5.3%), Sony...
Silver (XAG/USD) price extended its decline for the second straight session, trading around $31.90 per troy ounce during Asian hours on Thursday (5/15). The daily chart technical analysis suggests a weakening bullish outlook, as the precious metal has dropped below an ascending channel pattern. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) has dropped below the 50 level, indicating a developing bearish bias. Moreover, Silver price has fallen below the nine-day and 50-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA), further highlighting the fading strength of its near-term upside momentum. On the...
GBP/USD bounced back from recent losses, trading near 1.3280 during the Asian session on Thursday (5/15). The pair was supported by a weaker US Dollar (USD), as investors weighed the ongoing trade-related uncertainties despite a slight de-escalation in tensions. Market focus now shifts to the release of US Retail Sales and Producer Price Index (PPI) data later in the day. Speculations are growing that Washington may prefer a weaker dollar to strengthen its trade position. The Trump administration has argued that a strong greenback, relative to weaker regional currencies, hurts US...
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the US Dollar (USD) against a basket of six major currencies, traded lower around 100.90 during the Asian session on Thursday (5/15). The greenback remained under pressure as investors assessed ongoing trade-related uncertainties, despite recent easing of tensions. Speculation has been growing that Washington may prefer a weaker dollar to support its trade agenda. The Trump administration has argued that a strong dollar, compared to weaker regional currencies, has hurt US exporters. Improving global trade sentiment has eased recession fears,...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) traded with a positive bias against its US counterpart for the third straight day on Thursday (May 15) and for now, seems to have stalled the previous day's decline from weekly highs. The Japanese wholesale inflation data released on Wednesday indicated that companies continued to pass on costs to consumers, adding to concerns over a more entrenched price rise in Japan. This is expected to keep the Bank of Japan (BOJ) on track for further interest rate hikes, which in turn, was seen supportive of the JPY. Additionally, a slight deterioration in the global risk...
Gold steadied after falling more than 2% on Wednesday on signs the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates fewer times than previously anticipated, and as easing U.S.-China tensions dampened demand for safe-haven assets. Bullion traded above $3,182 an ounce on Thursday, near its lowest level in more than a month. U.S. Treasury yields rose on expectations the Fed will lower borrowing costs more slowly than expected as the economic outlook improves following a U.S.-China trade truce. Higher yields and interest rates tend to be negative for non-yielding bullion. Continued progress in U.S.-led...