The Hang Seng closed almost flat at 24,911 on Wednesday after dipping slightly in morning deals. Traders digested comments from President Trump, who said the U.S. was close to a trade deal with China and that he would meet President Xi before year-end if an agreement is reached. Investors also looked ahead to key Chinese economic data, including trade figures on Thursday and inflation on Saturday, amid concerns over rising trade barriers and persistent deflation risks. At the same time, markets braced for a possible new U.S. tariff announcement targeting semiconductors and chips, expected...
The Hang Seng rose 95 points or 0.4% to end at 23,579 on Thursday, marking its second straight session of gains. Sentiment strengthened after U.S. President Trump suggested he may cut tariffs on China to facilitate the sale of TikTok by its owner, ByteDance. A slight drop of 0.3% yoy in Chinese industrial profits for the first two months of 2025 also provided support after a 3.3% drop in 2024. Most sectors advanced after JPMorgan joined other Wall Street banks in turning more bullish on China, raising its Q4 2025 target for the MSCI China Index to 95, about 7% higher than its prior...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% to close at 37,780 on Thursday, ending a two-day rally, with automakers leading the decline after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all imported cars starting next week. Japanese automakers suffered the biggest losses, including Toyota Motor (-2%), Honda Motor (-2.5%), Subaru (-5%), Mazda Motor (-56%), and Nissan Motor (-1.7%). Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba warned that Japan would not rule out retaliatory action against Trump's auto tariffs. Technology stocks also fell following a tech-led selloff on Wall Street. Sharp declines were...
Hong Kong stocks rose 341 points, or 1.4%, to 23,824 in early trading on Thursday (3/27), extending gains for a second session amid broad gains. Sentiment was boosted after Wall Street banks turned bullish on Chinese stocks. Morgan Stanley raised its 2025 year-end target for mainland stocks for the second time this year, while Goldman Sachs projected further gains driven by positive earnings revisions. A slight 0.3% year-on-year decline in China's industrial profits for the first two months of 2025 also lent support, following a 3.3% decline in 2024 and reinforcing signs that Beijing's...
Asia-Pacific markets fell Thursday, tracking losses on Wall Street as investors weighed U.S. President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was down 1.14% lower while the broader Topix index lost 0.70%. Over in South Korea, the Kospi index declined 0.95% while the small-cap Kosdaq fell 0.54%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.19% while mainland China's CSI 300 started the day 0.25% lower. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.57%. U.S. futures edged down after the three key Wall Street indexes logged losses overnight. The S&P 500 lost 1.12% and...
The Nikkei 225 slipped 0.5% to below 37,900, while the broader Topix Index lost 0.4% to 2,800 on Thursday, snapping a two-day rally. Automakers led the decline after US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on all imported cars and light trucks, set to take effect next week. Japanese carmakers saw steep losses, including Toyota Motor (-2.9%), Honda Motor (-2.3%), Subaru (-5.7%), Mazda Motor (-5.3%), and Nissan Motor (-3.5%). Technology stocks also retreated following a tech-led selloff on Wall Street. Sharp declines were recorded in Advantest (-5.3%), Fujikura (-5.1%), Disco...