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...
Oil prices held near two-week highs on Monday after rising 6% last week, as geopolitical tensions escalated between Western powers and major oil producers Russia and Iran, raising the risk of supply disruptions. Brent crude futures rose 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $75.30 a barrel by 0115 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $71.38 a barrel, up 14 cents, or 0.2%. Both contracts last week posted their biggest weekly gains since late September to reach their highest settlements since Nov. 7 after Russia fired a hypersonic missile over Ukraine in a warning to the United States and...
The Nikkei 225 jumped 1.5% to above 38,800 while the broader Topix index gained 0.9% to 2,720 on Monday, with Japanese shares rising for a second straight session after suffering losses over the past two weeks. Local shares also mirrored Wall Street's gains, as strong U.S. economic data and optimism over the election outcome continued to support equities. Looking ahead, investors are focused on Tokyo's inflation figures, due later this week, as they are seen as a leading indicator of national price trends. Technology stocks led the rally, with significant gains from Lasertec (+3.2%), Tokyo...
Oil steadied after its biggest weekly gain in nearly two months as geopolitical risks in Ukraine and the Middle East kept investors on edge. Brent crude traded above $75 a barrel after surging nearly 6% last week, with West Texas Intermediate nearing $71. Russia's war in Ukraine has escalated with both sides using long-range missiles. Meanwhile, Iran said it would increase its nuclear fuel production capacity after being criticized by the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, as OPEC producers brace for potential sanctions under a second Trump administration. "The IAEA criticism and...
Gold is steady after surging the most in 20 months last week as the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war boosted demand for safe haven assets. Bullion was trading near $2,720 an ounce after surging 6% last week as the conflict entered a dangerous new phase. President Vladimir Putin said his forces may use new missiles again after targeting Ukraine in retaliation for Kyiv's use of American and British-made weapons on Russian territory. Former Ukrainian military chief Gen. Valery Zaluzhny said European countries are not ready for a prolonged military confrontation with Russia. The reason,...
The AUD/USD pair attracted some buyers near 0.6540 during the early Asian session on Monday (11/25). The US Dollar Index (DXY) eased slightly after hitting a fresh two-year high despite strong S&P US Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data. On Monday, the US Chicago Fed National Activity Index for October and the Dallas Fed Manufacturing Business Index for November will be released. Upbeat US November PMIs failed to boost the greenback. Data released by S&P Global showed on Friday that the S&P US Global Composite PMI rose to 55.3 in the flash estimate for November from 54.1 in...