The Hang Seng Index rose 233 points, or 0.9%, to close at 25,469 on Wednesday (December 17), ending two consecutive sessions of sharp declines as gains spread across all sectors. The index rebounded from a near four-week low, supported by buying after recent losses. Mainland Chinese markets also recovered, supported by a rebound in technology stocks, which boosted sentiment across the region. Meanwhile, analysts at Goldman Sachs said Chinese equities could rise by around 30% by the end of 2027, citing continued pro-market policies, improving corporate earnings, and continued capital...
Japanese stock markets opened lower as escalating tensions with China weighed on retail and tourism-related stocks. The Topix index fell 0.8% to 3,333.98, while the Nikkei weakened 0.9% to 49,942.24 at the start of trading in Tokyo. The decline was triggered by China's warning to students seeking to study in Japan of increased risks to their citizens, after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan sparked diplomatic friction. This sentiment immediately hit stocks that rely on tourist arrivals and spending from China. Market analysts said the current Japan-China tensions are...
US stocks recovered from sharp early losses on Friday (November 14th), but closed flat to lower as investors bought back major technology stocks and reassessed the likelihood of a December interest rate cut. This left the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 largely stagnant, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 280 points lower. Nvidia, Microsoft, Oracle, and Palantir each rose between 1.1% and 2.4%, reversing some of Thursday's sharp declines in tech stocks. Meanwhile, defensive stocks lagged, with United Healthcare down 3.2% and Home Depot down 1.6%. Stock movements remained uneven, with...
US stocks moved lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 down 1% and the Nasdaq falling 1.6%, both hitting one-month lows, while the Dow Jones dropped about 400 points. The tech sector remained under heavy pressure as investors grew increasingly concerned about stretched valuations in AI-related stocks and the risk of a bubble. Concerns also mounted that the Fed may hesitate to cut rates next month, after several policymakers expressed skepticism about the need for another reduction. Market odds of a 25 bps cut in December have fallen to just below 50%, down from nearly 65% earlier in the...
The Hang Seng plunged 500 points or 1.9% to end at 26,572 on Friday, its sharpest one-day drop since mid-October, snapping a four-session gain. The slump followed a tumble on Wall Street Thursday as hopes for a U.S. rate cut next month faded. Sentiment was further rattled by comments from China's statistics agency, which warned of persistent external risks and domestic restructuring pressures. Fresh data showed China's factory output and retail sales rising at their weakest in 14 months in October, and fixed investment fell 1.7% in the first 10 months, the sharpest drop on record for the...
Japanese stocks closed lower on Friday, with the Nikkei 225 index down 1.76% at the end of the session. Selling pressure primarily came from the paper & pulp, transportation, and communications sectors, which all weakened, dragging the index into the red. Overall, sentiment in the Tokyo market tended to be defensive, with more investors opting to reduce risk ahead of the weekend. Despite the steep decline in the index, several stocks performed remarkably well. Toppan Printing Co. was the star of the day, surging nearly 14% to 4,244 yen per share. Tokyo Tatemono also stole the spotlight,...