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...
The US dollar index edged lower to around 99 on Monday, trimming gains from the previous session as investors braced for a busy week of key economic data and trade developments. Sentiment was influenced by renewed hopes for progress in US-China trade relations as President Donald Trump announced that officials from both countries would meet in London later today, following a recent phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. On the data front, markets are awaiting several major economic releases. The Consumer Price Index is due Wednesday, followed by the Producer Price Index and the...
Oil prices held on to last week's gains early on Monday as investors waited for U.S.-China trade talks to be held in London later in the day. Brent crude futures were flat at $66.47 a barrel at 0008 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading up 1 cent at $64.59. The prospect of a U.S.-China trade deal supported prices as three of Donald Trump's top aides were set to meet with counterparts in London on Monday for the first meeting of the U.S.-China economic and trade consultation mechanism. The announcement on Saturday followed a rare Thursday call between the two countries' top...
Gold edges higher in early Asian trade amid lingering geopolitical tensions that typically enhance the safe-haven allure of the precious metal. Russia launched a missile-and-drone attack on Ukraine at the end of last week, killing at least three people in Kyiv and igniting fires across the capital. "Gold has been showing strength for some time now," Commerzbank Research's Barbara Lambrecht says in a recent research report. The commodity analyst cites drivers including the threat of escalation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Spot gold is 0.1% higher at $3,313.90/oz. Source : Dow Jones...
WTI crude oil futures climbed 1.9% to settle at $64.60 per barrel on Friday, marking their first weekly gain in three weeks with a rise of over 6.5%. The rebound was fueled by renewed optimism after trade talks resumed between US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping, raising hopes for stronger global demand. Sentiment was further lifted by news that Canada had also entered direct trade discussions with the US. Despite the gains, the oil market remains volatile amid geopolitical tensions, including the potential for increased US sanctions on Venezuela and the risk of...
Gold prices slipped more than 1% on Friday after a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report dampened hopes for imminent Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, while silver soared to its highest level since 2012. Spot gold fell 1.1% to $3,316.13 an ounce, as of 02:28 p.m. ET (1828 GMT), but rose 0.8% for the week so far. U.S. gold futures settled 0.8% lower at $3,346.60. A U.S. Labor Department report showed non-farm payrolls increased 139,000 in May, compared with estimates for a rise of 130,000, according to economists polled by Reuters. The unemployment rate stood at 4.2%, in line with...