Asian stocks slipped at the open on Friday (November 7), following a choppy session on Wall Street. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell about 0.2%, led by losses in Japan, while South Korea and Australia also edged lower. In the US, the S&P 500 fell 1.1% and the Nasdaq 100 slumped 1.9% for the second time in three sessions, as AI stocks from Nvidia and Palantir sold off. The volatility indicator briefly touched 20, reflecting growing market anxiety. In bonds, Treasury prices edged lower early in the Asian session after a strong rally earlier, when the 10-year yield posted its biggest daily...
Gold prices rose on Tuesday, as investors turned to the safe-haven asset amid continued uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans, which could heighten an ongoing trade war and slow global economic growth. Spot gold was up 0.7% at $3,230.48 an ounce, as of 0815 GMT. Bullion hit a record high of $3,245.42 on Monday. U.S. gold futures rose 0.6% to $3,245.70. "The environment remains supportive for higher gold prices, but the journey towards higher prices will not be a straight line, there will likely be some temporary setbacks," said UBS analyst Giovanni...
The dollar held steady on Tuesday, trading near a three-year low against the euro and a six-month trough against the yen, as investors trying to make sense of the constant changes to President Donald Trump'stariffs remained wary of U.S. assets. Much of the volatility that hit the dollar last week and sent Treasury yields soaring appeared to have abated somewhat on Tuesday, although investor sentiment was still fragile. The euro , which has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this month's dumping of U.S. assets, was a touch weaker on the day at $1.1336, narrowly below last week's...
The pound rose above $1.32, a six-month high, as markets responded to easing trade fears and shifting Bank of England (BoE) expectations. Hopes that Trump might delay auto tariffs helped UK exporters, especially car parts makers reliant on US trade, lifting sentiment for sterling. On the other hand, the BoE is seen as likely to cut rates soon — with markets nearly fully pricing in a rate cut in May — as UK firms shed jobs ahead of tax hikes and higher wage costs. While private-sector wage growth remains high at 5.9%, employment fell sharply in March, hinting at economic weakness. A...
Oil prices rose after a sluggish session on Monday, with traders monitoring the latest U.S. moves in the trade war and the prospect of easing curbs on Iranian crude. Brent traded around $65 a barrel after rising 0.2% on Monday, while West Texas Intermediate held near $62. Wall Street regained some calm on Monday, with stocks and bonds gaining after a tumultuous week amid President Donald Trump's disruptive tariff policies. "Macro sentiment has stabilized for now, and crude oil is on a slow path to recovery," said Huang Wanzhe, an analyst at Dadi Futures. "With the first wave of ‘tariff...
Gold prices fell slightly in Asian trade on Tuesday, but remained near recent peaks as safe-haven demand remained buoyed by uncertainty over U.S. plans for trade tariffs. Gold prices have fallen in recent sessions as exemptions for electronics imports from high U.S. tariffs on China helped boost some risk sentiment. President Donald Trump on Monday also flagged the possibility of more exemptions. But Trump's 145% tariffs on China, coupled with Beijing's 125% tariffs, have largely remained in place, signaling a bitter trade war between the world's largest economies. The idea has kept gold...