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...
Brent crude oil futures dropped to around $69.9 per barrel on Monday as weak economic data from China and uncertainty over U.S. tariffs fueled demand concerns. China's consumer prices fell for the first time in 13 months, while producer price deflation persisted, underscoring deflationary pressures in the world's largest crude importer. Oil remains under pressure as President Trump's shifting tariff policies raised concerns on economic growth and energy demand. While Trump eased some tariffs on Mexico and Canada until April 2, Canada's retaliatory tariffs remain in place, and China's...
Oil fell to near the lowest since September as weak economic data from China compounded a dour outlook for demand. Brent crude traded near $70 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was below $67 after seven weeks of declines. China's consumer inflation dropped by more than expected and was below zero for the first time in 13 months, highlighting persistent deflationary pressures in the world's biggest crude importer. Crude has been hit by a confluence of bearish factors, including an escalating global trade war, plans by OPEC and its allies to increase production, and talks to end the...
Gold edges higher in the early morning Asian session, supported by prospects of a U.S. recession that could enhance the safe-haven appeal of the precious metal. In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, President Trump refused to rule out a recession for the U.S. this year. "Traders and investors are reacting to a sharp and sudden deterioration in U.S. economic data," Saxo Bank's Ole S. Hansen says in a research report. Gold's outlook is still supportive, especially given the limited scope of its latest correction, which signals strong demand despite selling pressure from technically...
Oil prices gained on Friday but retreated from session highs after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened sanctions on Russia if it fails to reach a cease-fire with Ukraine. Brent crude futures settled at $70.36 a barrel, up 90 cents, or 1.3%. West Texas Intermediate futures finished at $67.04, up 68 cents, or 1.02%. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he was "strongly considering" sanctions on Russian banks and tariffs on Russian products because its armed forces continue attacks in Ukraine. In early trade, Brent jumped as high as $71.40, while WTI hit $68.22 after Russia's Deputy...
Gold prices fell on Friday as the Greenback trims some of its losses and US Treasury bond yields recover following the release of a US jobs market report. At the time of writing, the XAU/USD trades at $2,907, down 0.11%. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the February Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report, which showed that the economy added more people to the workforce than in January despite missing the mark. The same data showed that the Unemployment Rate remained within familiar levels with Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Adriana Kugler saying that hiring remains above the...