European stocks closed lower for a third session amid persistent concerns about US tariffs. The Eurozone STOXX 50 index fell 1% to 5,288, and the pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5% to 544. US Treasury Secretary Bessent noted that White House officials were prioritizing trade agreements they considered beneficial rather than rushing to reach a deal before the August 1 deadline, which could potentially pave the way for the imposition of 30% tariffs on the EU before negotiations conclude. Defense stocks were among the biggest decliners, with Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, and Thales falling...
The Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.1% to just below 39,400, while the broader Topix Index dropped 0.2% to 2,770 on Thursday, paring gains from the previous session. The declines mirrored losses on Wall Street overnight, following the Federal Reserve's decision to pause its rate-cutting cycle and its acknowledgment that inflation remains "somewhat elevated." Investor sentiment was also impacted by mixed earnings from major US tech companies, including Tesla, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. Notable losses were seen in companies such as Sumitomo Mitsui (-1.3%), SoftBank Group (-1%), Keyence...
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates at the current target range of 4.25% to 4.50% at the conclusion of its January meeting, but policymakers warned that inflation remains "somewhat elevated." The pause comes after the central bank cut rates three consecutive times to end 2024.At his press conference, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell emphasized that the central bank is in no hurry to adjust its policy stance, particularly as the economy remains strong.There is a wide range of possibilities when it comes to the potential effects of tariffs, according to Fed Chair Powell."The range of...
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave monetary policy settings unchanged following the January meeting.Fed Chairman Powell's presser could provide important clues about the rate outlook.The US Dollar could come under bearish pressure if the Fed leaves a rate cut in March on the table. The United States (US) Federal Reserve (Fed) will announce monetary policy decisions following the first policy meeting of the year on Wednesday. Market participants widely anticipate that the US central bank will leave monetary policy settings unchanged after cutting the interest rate by 25 basis...
European stocks closed firmly higher on Wednesday, extending the rebound from the prior session as markets assessed a batch of major earnings and the risks to European growth should US President Trump follow through with earlier tariff threats. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 closed 0.6% higher at 6,337, the highest in over 24 years, while the STOXX 600 gained 0.5% to close at another record high of 534. ASML jumped by 5.8% after its fourth-quarter bookings exceeded estimates. Tech shares led the gains to extend the recovery from the selloff in AI-infrastructure stocks on Monday, with Schneider...
European stocks hit record highs on Wednesday (29/1), as chip equipment maker ASML (ASML) led tech shares higher after reporting strong quarterly results. The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.5%, as of 0923 GMT, surpassing Tuesday's all-time closing high. ASML shares jumped 11.2% after the Dutch company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter orders of 7.09 billion euros ($7.39 billion). ASML's earnings also reassured investors that the outlook for AI chips remains healthy, as they recovered from a selloff earlier this week triggered by the release of China's DeepSeek model, which...