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...
Gold held gains, after weaker-than-expected US data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at least twice this year to prevent a recession. Bullion traded near $3,375 an ounce, following a 0.6% increase on Wednesday, after separate reports showed a contraction in US service providers and a deceleration in hiring. Treasury yields fell after the prints, with swap traders pricing in two Fed reductions in October and December. Lower rates are typically a tailwind for gold, which doesn't bear interest. Elsewhere, fears...
The dollar fell across the board on Wednesday after weaker-than-expected U.S. private payrolls highlighted continued slack in the labor market and data showed the U.S. services sector contracted for the first time in about a year in May. U.S. private payrolls rose by just 37,000 jobs in May, much less than expected, after a downwardly revised 60,000 gain in April, the ADP National Employment Report showed on Wednesday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast private employment rising by 110,000 after a previously reported gain of 62,000 in April. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated...
EUR/USD strengthened on Wednesday (04/06), edging up more than 0.42% as the greenback erased Tuesday's gains following the release of weaker-than-expected economic data from the United States (US). This, coupled with uncertainty fueled by the trade war, pushed the pair past the 1.1400 mark after hitting a daily low of 1.1356. On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order doubling steel and aluminum tariffs from 25% to 50%, effective June 4, for most countries, except the UK, which remains at 25%. Meanwhile, traders are gearing up for Trump's phone call with Chinese...
Oil prices settled down just over 1% on Wednesday after U.S. data showed surprisingly large build in gasoline and diesel inventories, swelling fuel supplies with OPEC+ planning more output and trade tensions clouding the energy demand outlook. Brent crude futures closed down 77 cents, or 1.2%, at $64.86 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude settled 56 cents, or 0.9% lower at $62.85. U.S. gasoline stocks swelled by 5.2 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a rise of 600,000 barrels. Distillate stockpiles rose by 4.2...
Gold rose 1% on Wednesday, supported by a weaker dollar and weak U.S. data, as investors grappled with rising economic and political uncertainty. Spot gold rose 0.8% to $3,378.22 an ounce by 2:02 p.m. ET (1802 GMT), after rising as much as 1% earlier. U.S. gold futures settled 0.7% higher at $3,399.20. The U.S. dollar index (.DXY), opened in a new tab, fell 0.5%, making bullion cheaper for buyers holding other currencies, while the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield edged lower. "The US services sector - two-thirds of the economy - contracting for the first time in a year has pushed...