Wall Street's indexes closed at record highs on Wednesday, buoyed by strong sector performance and optimism that the US government shutdown will be brief. Investors shrugged off the first day of the shutdown and weaker-than-expected private payrolls data, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.3%, the Nasdaq 100 rising 0.5%, and the Dow adding 43 points. Health-care stocks led the advance, driven by sharp gains in Regeneron (+6.7%), Moderna (+6.8%), Eli Lilly (+8.2%), and AbbVie (+5.5%), while optimism over Pfizer's (+2.2%) deal with the White House on Medicaid drug pricing provided additional...
Japan's Nikkei share average extended its gains from last week to end at a record high on Monday, as a weaker yen pushed automakers' stocks higher. The Nikkei rose 0.77% to 43,714.31 and the broader Topix rose 0.43% to 3,120.96. Both closed at record levels for the second straight session. Japanese shares rallied this month on renewed optimism over the domestic corporate outlook and economic growth as the impact of U.S. tariffs became clearer. "Domestic equities kept the momentum from last week. There was an expectation that foreign investors would continue buying Japanese stocks," said...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3% to above 43,500, while the Topix Index gained 0.5% to 3,122 on Monday, with both benchmarks reaching new all-time highs on the back of solid economic and corporate results. Data released Friday showed Japan's economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter, supported mainly by net exports despite pressures from US tariffs. Corporate earnings have also been broadly robust this season, further boosting investor confidence. On the global front, markets are watching the upcoming meeting in Washington between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian...
The Hang Seng Index opened 23 points higher, or 0.09%, at 25,293 on 18th August. The China Enterprises Index rose by 18 points, or 0.2%, to 9,057, while the Technology Index increased by 22 points, or 0.4%, to 5,565. Technology stocks showed mixed results. Tencent gained 0.3%, Alibaba rose 0.1%, while Meituan remained unchanged. Xiaomi Group dropped 0.1%, JD.com surged 1.6%, and Kuaishou fell 0.6%. Financial stocks exhibited varied movements. HSBC Holdings declined 0.4%, AIA Group fell 0.6%, Ping An Insurance rose 0.6%, and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited gained...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday , after the U.S.-Russia summit concluded without a ceasefire. Japan's Nikkei 225 benchmark rose 0.62%, while the broader Topix index added 0.42%. In South Korea, the Kospi index fell 1.06%, while the small-cap Kosdaq was down 1.44%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 started the day flat. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 25,214, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI's last close of 25,270.07. U.S. equity futures ticked up in early Asia hours on hopes for rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve, which fueled a winning week on...
United States (US) President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded an initial face-to-face meeting in Alaska late Friday, with both parties delivering mutually inconclusive statements. Trump and Putin both delivered vague promises of "progress" on multiple fronts, but initial details remain light. Now, President Trump will be pivoting to hand-delivering Russia's peace proposals on Ukraine to both the Ukrainian and European Union government bodies. Key Putin highlightsMeeting has been long overdue.Ukraine situation was one of key issues.Ukraine war is a tragedy, great...