The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.5% to above 42,800, while the broader Topix Index advanced 0.75% to 3,080 on Friday, rebounding from the prior session's losses as stronger-than-expected GDP data lifted sentiment. Japan's economy expanded 0.3% in the second quarter, accelerating from a 0.1% growth in Q1 which was also the consensus forecast. The upside surprise driven mainly by net exports, which added 0.3 percentage points to growth despite headwinds from US tariffs. Globally, a hotter-than-expected US producer price inflation reading tempered bets on a supersized half-point Federal Reserve...
The Pound Sterling (GBP) trades lower against its major peers on Tuesday. The British currency remains on the back foot due to the overhang of mounting fiscal risks in the United Kingdom (UK) following the presentation of a higher welfare spending bill by the Labour government before the House of Commons last week. The welfare bill announced showed an increase in the standard allowance for Universal Credit (UC), which is expected to raise the debt financial burden by £4.8 billion by fiscal year 2029-2030.. This led to investors dumping UK gilts as the bill raised financial...
Oil slipped as traders weighed the impact of President Donald Trump's latest wave of tariff threats and fresh attacks on Red Sea shipping. Brent traded near $69 a barrel, after jumping almost 2% on Monday. The US unveiled a slew of letters warning key trading partners of high tariff rates. Meanwhile, another ship in the Red Sea was under attack. "Traders are watching Trump's new tariff threats and global growth risks, which could soften demand," said Haris Khurshid, chief investment officer at Karobaar Capital LP. "Looking ahead, we should be paying attention to...
The dollar fell versus most major peers as investors mulled how the latest tariffs would affect the US economy and those of its trading partners. The Australian dollar led gains following the RBA's policy decision. The Bloomberg Dollar Index drops as much as 0.3%, snapping Monday's 0.5% advance as traders gameplanned what rates from 25% to 40% on goods from Japan to Malaysia would do to regional trade and growth. Trump has imposed 25% on goods from Japan and South Korea, beginning Aug. 1. AUD/USD rallies as much as 1% to 0.6558 after Australia's central bank surprised investors and...
The EUR/USD pair is trimming some of Monday's losses on Tuesday, although it maintains the bearish trend from last week's highs intact. Investors are keeping a cautious mood as US President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on a batch of countries, bringing global trade concerns back to the forefront. The Euro (EUR) bounced up from nearly two-week lows at 1.1690 during Tuesday's Asian session, and is trading at 1.1740 at the time of writing, with upside attempts capped below a previous support area at 1.1750 so far. The Eurozone was not among the recipients of Trump's tariff letters and...
Silver prices held firm around $36.80 per ounce on Tuesday, hovering near 13-year highs as markets assessed the latest US trade policy moves. President Donald Trump announced updated tariff rates on 14 countries that have not reached trade agreements with Washington, including major exporters such as Japan and South Korea, both of which will face 25% levies. Trump also signed an executive order extending the reciprocal tariff deadline to August 1 from July 9, providing additional time for negotiations. He further warned of a potential 10% tariff on countries aligning with what he called...