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 prices edged higher on Thursday as concerns persisted over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff plans, while investors awaited a key inflation report to assess the Federal Reserve's policy path. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $2,918.22 an ounce, as of 0018 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $2,932.30. Trump on Wednesday raised hopes for another month-long pause on steep new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, saying they could take effect on April 2, and floated a 25% "reciprocal" tariff on European cars and other goods. Since taking office on January 20, Trump has imposed an...
Oil prices fell to their lowest in two months on Wednesday as a surprise build in U.S. fuel inventories signaled weakening demand and the potential for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine continued to weigh on prices. Brent crude futures were down 49 cents, or 0.67%, at $72.53 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 31 cents, or 0.45%, to settle at $68.62. Both benchmarks settled at their lowest levels since Dec. 10. U.S. gasoline and distillate inventories posted a surprise increase last week even as crude inventories fell unexpectedly as refining activity...
Gold prices fell on Wednesday (26/2) after a recent record rally, as investors awaited inflation data due later in the week and the latest developments on US President Donald Trump's tariff plans. Spot gold fell 0.1% to $2,912.51 an ounce by 1:49 p.m. ET (1849 GMT). Bullion, a preferred hedge against uncertainty and inflation, hit a record high of $2,956.15 on Monday amid trade war concerns stemming from the threat of tariffs. US gold futures settled 0.4% higher at $2,930.60. On Tuesday, Trump ordered an investigation into potential new tariffs, opening a new tab on copper imports to...
Gold futures rose in relatively quiet trading, regaining some ground after Tuesday's sharp selloff. Futures rose 0.3% to $2,927.80 an ounce, nearing an all-time high of $2,974 an ounce hit on Monday. The German election results were well-received by the market, while optimism grew for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal, Nikos Tzabouras of Tradu said in a note. These developments boosted market sentiment, which led to a decline in gold prices on Tuesday, Tzabouras wrote. However, while a deeper correction in the near-term cannot be ruled out, the path of least resistance remains to the upside....
Oil prices held at two-month lows on Wednesday as a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine continued to weigh on prices while lower U.S. crude stockpiles provided some support. Brent crude was down 19 cents at $72.83 a barrel by 1256 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures fell by 13 cents to $68.80. Prospects for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine are improving, ING commodities strategists said in a note on Wednesday, adding that the market was also watching for potential implications of a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine. "This would take us a step...