European stocks closed slightly lower on Tuesday after reaching record peaks on the previous session on mixed earnings results, while markets continued to assess the outlook on global trade and European rates. The STOXX 50 inched down by 5,701 and the STOXX 600 lost 03% to 576. Pharmaceutical companies led the losses in the session with a 4.3% slump for Novartis after the Swiss giant posted softer earnings than expected. Roche and Novo Nordisk both fell 2.5% In the meantime, BNP Paribas fell 3.5%, also on an earnings miss. On the other hand, HSBC jumped 4.4% after raising its 2025...
The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.45% to 47,735 on Wednesday, retreating from a record high as investors took profits following a rally fueled by expectations of stimulus under PM-elect Sanae Takaichi (the Abenomics line). Weaker wage data also dampened prospects for a BoJ interest rate hike, with real wages falling by -1.4% year-on-year in August, an eighth straight month of decline. The technology sector also followed Wall Street lower after Oracle's plunge rekindled concerns about the sustainability of AI trading. Uncertainty was further compounded by the prolonged US government shutdown....
The Hong Kong stock exchange plunged after a long holiday. The Hang Seng opened down 57 points (26,900), was hit by intense selling to 26,520, and closed down 380 points (-1.41%) at 26,577. The China Enterprise Index ended down 1.5% (9,429), while the Technology Index fell 1.94% (6,422). Tech led the decline: Tencent -1%, Alibaba -2.9%, Meituan -2%, Xiaomi -1%, JD.com -2.7%, Kuaishou -2.9%, and Baidu -5%. The financial sector also slumped: HSBC -1.3%, AIA -0.6%, Ping An -1.6%, and HKEX -1.3%. Main board turnover: HK$40.4 billion. Gold's rally to a new record fueled mixed performance among...
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - The Nikkei index moved flat at 47,937.70, as gains in heavy industry and pharmaceutical stocks offset the decline in chip companies. The IHI rose 4.3% and Daiichi Sankyo strengthened 3.5%, while Tokyo Electron fell 1.6% and Advantest weakened 1.2%. The weaker yen also provided support to the market, as it typically benefits exporters. USD/JPY was at 152.25, up sharply from 150.69 at Tuesday's close, thus boosting sentiment for export-related sectors. Investors' focus is now on the details of potential policy steps Sanae Takaichi may take after being elected LDP...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Wednesday, breaking ranks from Wall Street losses, after the World Bank raised the region's growth forecast Tuesday. That comes after a summer that saw U.S. tariff-led uncertainty rock the global economy. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was little changed, while the the Topix added 0.62%. Australia's ASX/S&P 200 fell 0.3%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 27,165, higher than its Tuesday close of 26,957.77. Mainland China and South Korean markets are closed for the holidays. The Bank of Thailand and Reserve Bank of New Zealand are set...
US stocks retreated from record highs on Tuesday as investors weighed the ongoing government shutdown against hopes for AI-driven growth. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% for the first time in 8 days, the Nasdaq lost 0.8%, and the Dow fell 99 points, pressured by a steep sell-off in Oracle shares after weaker-than-expected cloud margin reports. Tesla slipped 4.4% after unveiling a low-cost Model Y, Ford tumbled 7.6% over a supplier fire, and gold futures surged past $4,000 per ounce as investors sought safe havens. Economically sensitive sectors, including homebuilding, airlines, and transport,...