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...
The Australian Dollar (AUD) continues to weaken against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday, driven by dampened market sentiment following President-elect Donald Trump's announcement of a 10% increase in tariffs on all Chinese goods entering the United States (US), along with a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada. The downside for the AUD/USD pair may be limited, as the Australian Dollar could find support from the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) hawkish outlook on future interest rate decisions. Traders are now turning their attention to Australia's Monthly Consumer Price Index...
Gold fell as the dollar jumped after President-elect Donald Trump threatened 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. Trump said the import duties were needed to curb migrants and illegal drugs flowing across the U.S. border, while also vowing to impose additional 10% tariffs on Chinese goods. A stronger dollar dented bullion's appeal by making it more expensive for many buyers. Bullion traded near $2,620 an ounce after dropping 3.4% in the previous session as easing tensions in the Middle East sapped demand for safe-haven assets. Israel's security cabinet is expected to vote on a...
Gold prices (XAU/USD) fell during the North American session on Monday (11/25) as news of a ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel spread, dampening appetite for riskier assets. This, along with the appointment of Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary for the Trump administration, weighed on the yellow metal. XAU/USD is trading at $2,620, down more than 3%. The increased risk appetite is driving the movement in Gold prices. The non-yielding metal has fallen below its 50-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) of $2,664, opening the door for further downside. Market participants welcomed Bessent's...
WTI crude futures fell 3.2% on Monday, settling at $68.90 a barrel, following a report suggesting Israel and Hezbollah may be close to reaching a ceasefire deal within days. Traders cautiously viewed the news as a positive sign, but doubts persisted due to the failure of previous ceasefires. Attention also turned to escalating Ukraine-Russia tensions. In other developments, Iran announced plans to expand its nuclear fuel output following criticism from the UN atomic watchdog, preparing for potential sanctions under a possible second Trump administration. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Energy...
Crude futures fall as expectations of an imminent ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah takes some Middle East risk premium out of the market. But "we have seen how ceasefires have failed to materialize in the past, so its best to take any ceasefire news cautiously," says Alex Hodes of StoneX in a note. Trade is apt to be volatile on lighter volume this week with the U.S. closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, he adds. WTI settles down 3.2%, at $68.94 a barrel, and Brent loses 2.9%, to $73.01 a barrel. Source: Marketwatch