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...
WTI crude oil prices were steady at $68.5 a barrel on Monday, as investors monitored positive economic data from China, and awaited the upcoming OPEC+ meeting. Chinese factory activity grew for a second month and at the fastest pace in five months in November, signaling a recovery in the world's largest oil importer after a series of stimulus measures introduced in late September. At the same time, Saudi Arabia, is anticipated to lower crude prices for Asian buyers in January to a four-year low. Attention also remains on the delayed OPEC+ meeting, rescheduled for later this week, where the...
Gold (XAU/USD) prices maintained its bid tone through the first half of the European session on Monday (2/12) and is currently trading around the $2,630 region, or the lower end of its daily range. The US Dollar (USD) bounced back after its recent decline to a near three-week low amid a healthy uptick in the US Treasury bond yields and turned out to be a key factor weighing on the precious metal. Furthermore, expectations that US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plans and expansionary policies will boost inflation, setting the stage for the Federal Reserve (Fed) to halt interest rate...
Silver prices fell nearly $30 an ounce on Monday, extending losses from last week as the U.S. dollar strengthened on optimism about the U.S. economic outlook. The dollar also gained after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened BRICS nations on Saturday with 100% tariffs if they create or support a new currency that could replace the dollar. A stronger dollar makes dollar-denominated commodities more expensive for buyers holding other currencies, dampening demand. Meanwhile, data showed that Chinese manufacturing activity expanded for a second straight month in November, following a...
Gold (XAU/USD) prices remained strongly offered through the early European session on Monday (2/12) and is currently trading near the lower end of its daily range, around the $2,629 region. This marked the first day of a negative move in the previous five and was sponsored by a combination of factors. Investors now seem convinced that US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plans could reignite inflation and limit the scope for the Federal Reserve (Fed) to cut interest rates. This, in turn, triggered a fresh leg up in the US Treasury bond yields and drove flows away from the non-yielding...
The dollar rose on Monday amid a weaker euro and yen, as market participants continued to assess political tensions in France and a rebound in Treasury yields. The Bloomberg Dollar Index rose as much as 0.5%, while the euro fell after a far-right French party threatened to overthrow the government amid a budget impasse. Futures on the Euro Stoxx 50 fell 0.9%, indicating a weak open. French bond futures fell. The euro fell as much as 0.6%. The single currency may see further weakness after Governing Board member Martins Kazaks told broadcasters the European Central Bank should continue to...