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...
Global gold prices have declined in recent days despite ongoing geopolitical tensions, including the Israel-Iran conflict. This decline occurred as investors took profits after gold prices had risen sharply as a hedge. Furthermore, the absence of any major escalation in the near future has calmed the market, resulting in a temporary decline in gold demand. Other factors weighing on gold prices are the strengthening of the US dollar and expectations that the US Central Bank (the Fed) will not immediately lower interest rates. A stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for global investors,...
Silver slid more than 3% toward $76 per ounce on Monday, pressured by profit-taking after an end-of-year rally that notched a fresh record of $81. Investors are also weighing geopolitical developments, following President Donald Trump's comments that peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have made "a lot of progress," though a deal may still take weeks. He added he is open to addressing Ukraine's parliament, holding trilateral talks with Zelenskiy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and meeting European leaders in January. Despite the retreat, silver is on track for...
Gold prices (XAU/USD) weakened slightly in the Asian session on Monday, after previously breaking a new record. This weakening occurred as market participants began taking profits ahead of the year-end holidays, when market liquidity was thin. Gold briefly touched a record high of around $4,550 per ounce, but then corrected. In addition to profit-taking, a strengthening US dollar could also pressure gold by making it more expensive for buyers outside the US. Despite the short-term decline, the broader trend remains strong. Gold has surged nearly 70% through 2025, its best annual...
The USD/JPY pair weakened in Asian trading on Monday, hovering around 156.20 and briefly approaching 156.00. This weakening occurred after the Japanese Yen (JPY) strengthened, following signals from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) reinforcing expectations of continued policy tightening in 2026. In the Summary of Opinions from the BoJ's December policy meeting, several members argued that interest rate hikes needed to be gradual to avoid "falling behind the curve." Some members also emphasized that Japan's real interest rates remain among the lowest in the world, thus allowing room for rate hikes,...
Gold prices fell slightly on Monday, returning below $4,500 per ounce, retreating slightly from record levels. This decline is considered normal, as some market participants are taking profits after a long rally. In addition to profit-taking, the market is also digesting the latest geopolitical developments. US President Donald Trump said peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy have made "a lot of progress," but he believes an agreement could still take several weeks. Trump also said he is open to speaking in the Ukrainian parliament if necessary, is considering three-way...