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 rose on Monday (October 13th) after assurances that US President Donald Trump would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping by the end of October. This eased escalating trade tensions between the world's two largest economies, which had pushed crude prices to a five-month low on Friday. Brent crude closed up 59 cents, or 0.9%, at $63.32 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude also closed up 59 cents, or 1%, at $59.49 per barrel. Both contracts fell about 4% on Friday, hitting their lowest levels since May, after Trump threatened to cancel the meeting with Xi and impose...
Gold broke through $4,100 an ounce for the first time on Monday (October 13), hitting a new record high amid renewed U.S.-China trade tensions and expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut, while silver also rose to an all-time high. Spot gold rose 2.2% to $4,106.48 an ounce, as of 1:47 p.m. ET (1747 GMT), after hitting a record $4,116.77. U.S. December gold futures closed 3.3% higher at $4,133. Gold has gained 56% this year and topped $4,000 for the first time last week, driven by factors including geopolitical and economic uncertainty, expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut, and robust...
Bearish signs are emerging in the oil market after US President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats sparked fears of an imminent oversupply. The West Texas Intermediate crude oil timeframe beginning in February 2026 and the following months has shifted into contango, a structure in which prices near that point trade at a discount to older prices. The repricing that began late last week dashed hopes that the market could avoid a long-anticipated oversupply, just as new US tariff threats against China are hurting demand prospects for the world's two largest crude importers. The crude oil...
Gold broke through $4,100 an ounce for the first time on Monday (October 13), hitting a new record high amid re-escalating U.S.-China trade tensions and expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut, while silver also rose to an all-time high. Spot gold rose 2.1% to $4,099.55 an ounce, as of 10:50 a.m. ET (1450 GMT), after hitting a record $4,103.58. U.S. gold futures for December delivery rose 3% to $4,120.10. Gold has surged 56% this year and topped $4,000 for the first time last week, driven by factors including geopolitical and economic uncertainty, expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut,...
Silver hit its highest level in decades as a historic short squeeze in London intensified, with the renewed price surge adding urgency to the global rush for bullion that could ease the supply-demand mismatch. Spot silver rose 3.7% to above $52 an ounce, surpassing last week's peak, while gold traded near $4,100, extending its eight-week winning streak. Platinum and palladium also surged, amid signs that market stress caused by surging investor demand is spreading to other precious metals. Concerns about a lack of liquidity in London pushed silver near its highest level since 1980, a price...