The Nikkei 225 Index shed 0.05% to close at 40,655 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.4% to 2,920 on Wednesday, with Japanese shares struggling for clear direction as investors braced for the latest Bank of Japan monetary policy decision. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday amid uncertainty over the economic fallout from recent US tariffs. However, the central bank is likely to raise its inflation forecast in its quarterly outlook, reflecting ongoing price pressures. Investors also weighed prospects of another extension to the tariff truce...
Stocks in Hong Kong fell 104 points or 0.5% to 21,292 in early trade on Tuesday, following an overnight slump on Wall Street after U.S. President Trump intensified criticism of Fed Chair Powell, calling him "a major loser" for not cutting interest rates. Trading resumed in the city after the holiday break, weighed down by fresh tensions as China warned it would retaliate against any trade deals with the U.S. that undermine its interests. Losses were partially limited by comments from Premier Li Qiang, who urged officials to step up efforts to stabilize the stock market. Meanwhile, the...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% to below 34,200 while the broader Topix Index lost 0.2% to 2,523 on Tuesday, extending losses from the previous session and taking cues from a weak lead on Wall Street as political pressure on the Federal Reserve weighed on sentiment. Investor concerns grew after President Donald Trump intensified criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, raising fears over the central bank's independence. The lack of progress on global trade talks also weighed on market sentiment. Moreover, a strengthening yen, which surged to a seven-month high on Monday, put downward pressure on...
Asia-Pacific markets were subdued Tuesday, tracking Wall Street's sell-off after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on his pressure campaign on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.Japan's Nikkei 225 as well as the Topix were trading flat. South Korea's Kospi added 0.19% and the small-cap Kosdaq inched 0.16% higher.Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.63%.Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 0.25%. Mainland China's CSI 300 slipped 0.17% at the open.U.S. stock futures were nearly flat. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 18 points. Both the S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq...
US stock futures were steady on Tuesday after a sharp selloff in the prior session, driven by renewed concerns over the Federal Reserve's independence. On Monday, the Dow fell 0.48%, the S&P 500 dropped 2.36%, and the Nasdaq tumbled 2.55%, with all 11 S&P sectors ending lower—led by consumer discretionary, technology, and energy. Heavy losses hit megacap tech stocks, including Nvidia (-4.5%), Tesla (-5.8%), and Amazon (-3.1%). The decline followed criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell by President Donald Trump, who called him "Mr. Too Late, a major loser," and demanded immediate rate...
US stocks closed sharply lower on Monday (4/21) after President Trump stepped up his criticism of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, raising concerns about the central bank's independence and shaking investor confidence. The selloff was swift and widespread, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq down 2.4% and 2.5%, respectively. The Dow dropped 971 points, while tech giants led the decline—Tesla dropped 6%, Nvidia dropped 4.5% and Amazon dropped 3.1%. All 11 sectors ended in the red, with tech, consumer staples and energy stocks the hardest hit. In a Truth Social post, Trump called Powell "Mr. Too Late,...