The Hang Seng fell 249 points or 1.0% to close at 25,270 on Friday, slipping for the second session as all sectors dipped. Weak July data in China hit investor sentiment as industrial output grew the least in eight months, retail sales notched a six-month low, and the jobless rate rose to a four-month high of 5.2%. The Chinese statistics agency also warned of persistent risks from global headwinds and weather disruptions. Still, the index rose 1.7% for the week, its second straight gain, helped by Wall Street record highs and optimism over a possible Fed rate cut in September, as well as a...
Oil prices extended gains in Asian trading on Wednesday as the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on Iran amid ongoing nuclear talks, while investors assessed a weekly report showing a large decline in U.S. crude stockpiles. Market sentiment was further bolstered by U.S. President Donald Trump stepping back from earlier threats to dismiss Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and expressing confidence in the country's trade relations As of 21:07 ET (01:07 GMT), Brent Oil Futures expiring in June rose 1% to $68.12 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures also advanced 1% to...
Gold price (XAU/USD) attracted dip-buyers in Asia on Wednesday, stalling its retreat from the $3,500 peak hit the day before. The attempted US Dollar (USD) recovery from a multi-year low faltered amid the weakening confidence in the US economy on the back of US President Donald Trump's back-and-forth tariff announcements. Apart from this, the prospects for more aggressive policy easing by the Federal Reserve (Fed) prompt some intraday USD selling and turn out to be a key factor that helps revive demand for the non-yielding yellow metal. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials hinted at a...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) drifts lower against its American counterpart for the second successive day on Wednesday and retreats further from a multi-month peak touched the previous day. Upbeat comments from Trump administration officials about US-China trade talks trigger a sharp recovery in the global risk sentiment, which, in turn, weighs heavily on traditional safe-haven assets, including the JPY. Moreover, some follow-through US Dollar (USD) recovery from a multi-year low, bolstered by easing fears about the Federal Reserve's (Fed) independence, pushed the USD/JPY pair to a one-week high –...
The dollar index held around 99.5 on Wednesday after surging more than 1% in the previous session, underpinned by hopes of de-escalation in the US-China trade war and easing concerns about the Federal Reserve's independence. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that the current tariff standoff with China is "unsustainable" and emphasized that the Trump administration is not seeking to decouple the two economies. Later that day, President Trump confirmed he has no plans to remove Fed Chair Jerome Powell, helping to ease investor uncertainty. The White House's efforts to reassure...
Gold prices drop as Wednesday's Asian session begins, which is sponsored by Trump's comments that he is not looking to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell. At the time of writing, XAU/USD plunges over 1% and trades at $3,333. Recently, US President Donald Trump said that he had no intention of firing Powell. He said, "The press runs away with things. No, I have no intention of firing him. I would like to see him be a little more active in terms of his idea to lower interest rates." Earlier news from the United States (US) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that he saw a de-escalation with...