Asia-Pacific markets opened mostly higher Friday, tracking Wall Street gains as investors shrugged off the U.S. government shutdown. Investors are waiting to see how long the shutdown will last to assess the gravity of its economic repercussions. Historically, government shutdowns in the U.S. have not been market-moving events. Japan's September unemployment rate rose to 2.6%, government data showed Friday, higher than the 2.4% expected by economists polled by Reuters. The latest reading compared with the 2.3% unemployment rate in August. The country's September manufacturing purchasing...
U.S. stocks moved higher on Monday as investors tracked the latest developments in trade and awaited the start of big tech earnings this week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped 0.7%. Both indexes had hit new all-time intraday highs during the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, ticked up by 98 points, or 0.2%. The market was bolstered by moves in major technology names. Alphabet increased more than 2%, while Apple rose almost 2%. Others like Meta Platforms advanced more than 1%. Trade was once again in focus as the White House reiterated its...
The Hang Seng Index rose for the second day, climbing 0.7%, or 168.48 to 24,994.14 in Hong Kong. The index advanced to the highest closing level in at least a year. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. contributed the most to the index gain, increasing 1.8%. China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. had the largest increase, rising 5.5%. Today, 58 of 85 shares rose, while 24 fell; 3 of 4 sectors were higher, led by commerce and industry stocks. Source : Bloomberg
European stocks opened the week on a cautious note, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovering near the flatline as investors closely monitor ongoing trade developments and digest a fresh wave of corporate earnings. No breakthrough has yet been achieved in the trade negotiations between the EU and the US. While talks are still underway, reports indicate that the EU is preparing retaliatory measures should an agreement fail to materialize before the US imposes a 30% tariff on European imports from August 1st. On the corporate front, Stellantis shares fell nearly 1.7% after the automaker...
Equities in Hong Kong rose 96 points or 0.4% to 24,9 on Monday morning deals, extending gains from the previous session as traders reacted to the PBoC's decision to keep its one-year and five-year loan prime rates at record lows, in line with expectations. The Hang Seng index reached its highest level since early 2022, lifted by broad-based sector gains and a modest uptick in U.S. futures amid optimism over global trade. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed confidence on Sunday that a deal with the EU could be reached before the August 1 deadline, though talks may continue...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday, as investors keep a close watch on the People's Bank of China's decision on its 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates for July, as well as the latest developments on the trade front. Trade came into focus once again over the weekend as the White House reiterated its position on tariffs. On Sunday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called Aug. 1 the "hard deadline" for countries to start paying tariffs, though he also added that "nothing stops countries from talking to us after August 1." South Korean markets started the day higher Monday. As of...