European stocks weakened slightly on Wednesday (October 29, 2025), after several consecutive days of record highs. The STOXX 600 index fell by around -0.3% to 576 points, while the STOXX 50 also corrected from its peak. Investors chose to hold positions while awaiting key data and policy decisions from the Federal Reserve (The Fed). The pharmaceutical sector was one of the laggards, with shares of giants like Novartis plunging by around -4.3% after underwhelming financial results. On the other hand, stocks like HSBC and Nokia actually saw a surge—HSBC rose by around 4.4% after raising its...
The Hang Seng lost 77 points or 0.3% to end at 26,752 on Thursday, declining for the fourth session as most sectors weakened. The financial index dropped 0.7% after reports that HSBC Holdings plans to buy out minority shareholders in its majority-owned Hang Seng Bank for about USD 13.6 billion. HSBC's Hong Kong-listed shares plunged 5.5%, while Hang Seng Bank surged 26%, with Citi analyst Andrew Coombs noting that investors were questioning "why now and at this price." Tech shares retreated as sentiment soured after China broadened its rare earth export controls, citing tech and military...
European stocks held steady on Thursday after hitting new records the previous day, as investors awaited the latest news on the French political crisis. The Stoxx Europe 600 was virtually flat at 8:15 a.m. in London, while Germany's DAX edged up to another record. Mining and travel & leisure sectors led, while autos and banks lagged. In individual stocks, HSBC fell after proposing a takeover plan for Hang Seng Bank in Hong Kong, valuing the entity at around $37 billion. In Paris, the CAC 40 edged higher following President Emmanuel Macron's signal that he would appoint a new prime...
Japanese stocks closed higher on Thursday, following a Wall Street rally driven by renewed buying in AI-related stocks. The Nikkei 225 rose 1.8%, or 845 points, to 48,580.44, signaling investors were more focused on corporate performance prospects and hopes for a Fed rate cut, although the ongoing earnings season will test that optimism. On a fundamental level, the Japan Economists Survey Index edged up to 47.1 in September, reflecting support from household demand that offset weakness in food and beverage production. On the corporate front, Hitachi Construction Machinery entered a...
Hong Kong stocks weakened on Thursday, signaling sluggish "golden week" holiday shopping in mainland China. The Hang Seng Index fell 1.1% to 26,521.75 as of 9:55 a.m. local time, while Hang Seng Tech shed 0.6%. On the mainland, markets reopened with the CSI 300 up 0.4% and the Shanghai Composite up 0.2%. The main highlight came from Hang Seng Bank, which surged 27% to HK$150.60—having soared as high as 41% earlier in the session—following HSBC's proposal to privatize the bank at HK$155 per share (a 30.3% premium). Among other movers, ZTO Express rose 1.9%, Li Auto +1.4%, Trip.com +1.2%, and...
Japanese stocks rose early in the session, with the Nikkei rising 0.7% to 48,069.81, led by technology and electronics stocks. A weaker yen helped ease concerns about the impact of US tariffs on exporters' earnings. Kioxia jumped 8.3%, SoftBank Group rose 4.5%, and Tokyo Electron added 1.4%. In the currency market, USD/JPY was at 152.60 (vs. 152.45 at Wednesday's close), confirming support for export-oriented stocks. Investors were also watching for potential policy moves by Sanae Takaichi after her election as the new LDP leader.(az) Source: Newsmaker.id