The Nikkei 225 fell 0.4% to below 41,700, while the Topix Index dropped 0.6% to 2,960 on Friday, as investors booked profits following a sharp rally that pushed both indexes to new highs. Despite the pullback, both benchmarks remain on track to post weekly gains of over 4%, buoyed by optimism around the recently signed US-Japan trade deal. Under the agreement, Japanese exports to the US will face a 15% tariff, well below the 25% threatened by President Trump earlier this month, easing some trade-related uncertainty. On the economic front, Tokyo's core inflation came in slightly below...
China's producer prices fell 2.5% year-on-year in November 2024, after falling 2.9% in the previous month and below market expectations of 2.8%. This marked the 26th straight month of producer deflation, reflecting continued weakness in domestic demand amid Beijing's ongoing efforts to stem the trend. On a monthly basis, producer prices edged up 0.1%, after falling 0.1% in October. For the first 11 months of the year, producer prices shrank 2.1%. Source: Trading Economics
The Nikkei 225 and Topix indexes showed limited movement on Monday, as global political instability weighed on financial markets. Ongoing political crises in South Korea and France, along with the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, contributed to the uncertainty. Domestically, Japan's third-quarter economic growth was revised upward, indicating the country's second consecutive quarter of expansion. Investors are now awaiting business sentiment data later in the week to further assess the health of the economy. Notable declines were seen in index heavyweights such as...
Asian stocks started the week on a weak note, as investors grappled with South Korea's political upheaval and awaited fresh stimulus from Beijing. Oil prices steadied after Syria's government was toppled. Korean equity benchmarks fell as much as 1.8% at the open, with Australian shares also down. Japanese shares were flat. Futures pointed to a weak open in Hong Kong. The dollar and 10-year Treasury yields were steady. Investors are bracing themselves this week for a series of central bank decisions on four continents, a key meeting of Chinese officials and U.S. inflation data in a bid to...
he Nasdaq and the S&P 500 rose to record closing highs on Friday following upbeat forecasts from Lululemon Athletica and other companies and as U.S. jobs data fueled expectations the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month. The Dow finished lower, as a drop in UnitedHealth Group (UNH.N), shares weighed on the index. The S&P 500 consumer discretionary index (.SPLRCD), led gains among sectors, boosted by Lululemon. Shares of Lululemon Athletica (LULU.O), jumped after the sportswear maker increased full-year forecasts. Also in the consumer discretionary space, shares of...
Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Friday as traders increased bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut this month after the November payrolls report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), opens new tab rose 58.6 points, or 0.13%, at the open to 44,824.29. The S&P 500 (.SPX), opens new tab rose 6.3 points, or 0.10%, at the open to 6,081.38, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), opens new tab rose 43.2 points, or 0.22%, to 19,743.959 at the opening bell. Source: Reuters