European markets opened today, Thursday, December 18, 2025, with a cautious attitude. Investors await the latest move from the European Central Bank (ECB), which is expected to hold interest rates. Inflation in the eurozone has begun to stabilize, so the ECB has chosen not to rush into policy changes to maintain economic stability. The latest inflation data shows that price pressures have not increased sharply. This signals that economic conditions are still under control, although growth is not yet fully robust. This situation has led market participants to choose to wait before making...
European stocks closed higher on Thursday as investors digested the regional and global economic outlook. The pan-European Stoxx 600 reversed course to finish 0.12% higher by the end of Thursday's session, with major bourses and sectors mostly higher following broadly negative moves earlier in the day. It comes after a positive trading session yesterday, with the Stoxx 600 closing almost 1.1% higher and most sectors and major regional bourses in the green. Global markets have been boosted this week by rising expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates when it next...
The Hang Seng added 18 points, or 0.1%, to close at 25,946 on Thursday, marking a fourth straight session of gains amid strength mainly from financials. Sentiment was lifted by Beijing's new plan to spur consumption, including rural consumer goods upgrades and support for sectors such as pets and toys. A modest rise in mainland stocks also aided risk appetite, amid optimism toward the domestic AI sector. On the data front, however, October figures showed China's industrial profits dropped for the first time in three months, reflecting weak domestic demand and export challenges. Trading was...
The Japanese stock market closed higher on Thursday, driven by strong gains in the Real Estate, Banking, and Textile sectors. The Nikkei 225 index rose 1.28%, with three stocks performing particularly well: Resonac Holdings, which surged 8.85% to a five-year high; Toppan Printing, which set an all-time record after rising 7.32%; and Denka Co. Ltd., which surged 6.10% to a 52-week high. Overall, there were far more gainers than decliners: 2,323 stocks rose, while 1,252 declined. On the other hand, several healthcare stocks were under pressure. Eisai Co. fell 2.70%, followed by Shionogi &...
Hong Kong stocks rallied again at the start of trading on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index rising around 82 points, or 0.3%, to 26,012. This marked the fourth consecutive day of gains, in line with Wall Street's rally, which also saw four consecutive sessions amid growing expectations of a Fed rate cut in December. All sectors on the Hang Seng opened in the green, with technology and property stocks leading the gains. Sentiment was also helped by a rebound in major mainland Chinese stock markets after a brief correction. However, the rally was tempered by the latest data showing that...
The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 1.2% to above 50,100 while the broader Topix Index added 0.7% to 3,380 on Thursday, extending gains from the previous session and taking cues from a strong lead on Wall Street amid bets on further Federal Reserve interest rate cuts. US stocks rallied for a fourth straight session overnight as markets now price in over an 80% chance that the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points next month and three more by the end of 2026. In Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government is reportedly planning to issue at least 11.5 trillion yen in additional bonds to fund...