European equity markets extended their rally on the first trading day of 2026, with benchmark indices pushing to fresh record highs despite thin liquidity following the New Year holiday. Gains were led by defense stocks, underpinned by persistent geopolitical tensions and expectations of increased military spending across the region. The STOXX 50 climbed 0.7% to a new all-time high of 5,830 points, while the broader STOXX 600 rose 0.4% to a record 595 points. The strong start to the year follows a robust performance in 2025, when the STOXX 50 advanced about 18% and the STOXX 600 rose 17%,...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher on Tuesday (November 25th) after posting another rally, as traders weighed expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut and the state of artificial intelligence trading. The blue-chip index gained 664.18 points, or 1.43%, to close at 47,112.45. The S&P 500 rose 0.91% to close at 6,765.88, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.67% to end at 23,025.59. This marked a reversal from earlier losses. At its session low, the S&P 500 fell about 0.7%, while the tech-heavy Dow Jones and Nasdaq were down more than 100 points, or 0.2%, and...
European stocks advanced on Tuesday as regional markets cemented their positive start to the week. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed the session preliminarily 0.9% higher, with most major bourses and sectors in positive territory at the closing bell in London. The moves come after major U.S. averages rebounded on Monday, driven by strength in the artificial intelligence trade and renewed hopes of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut. Asia-Pacific markets also traded higher overnight, boosted by Wall Street's rally. Traders continue to watch for any news that can affect the Fed's upcoming...
The Hang Seng rose 178 points or 0.7% to finish at 25,894 on Tuesday, extending strength for a second session amid broad-based sector advance. Sentiment improved after U.S. President Trump described relations with China as "extremely strong" following a call with Xi Jinping on Monday. Risk appetite was also lifted by a rebound in mainland stocks from a two-month low, following the PBoC's CNY 1 trillion MLF operation today, which resulted in a net liquidity injection of about CNY 100 billion. The tech index gained 1.2%, tracking an overnight rally in U.S.-listed peers as traders downplayed...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.07% to close at 48,659 while the Topix Index lost 0.21% to 3,291 on Tuesday, struggling for clear direction as markets reopened after a holiday-extended weekend. Japanese shares initially followed tech-led gains on Wall Street overnight amid renewed optimism around artificial intelligence and rising hopes for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in December. Technology stocks showed mixed performances locally, with gains from Advantest (4.2%) and Tokyo Electron (3.1%), while sharp losses were record in SoftBank Group (-10%)a nd Disco Corp (-2.7%). Meanwhile,...
Stocks in Europe edged higher on Tuesday, with both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600 gaining nearly 0.2%, extending the modest advance from the previous session. Rising expectations of a Fed rate cut next month continued to support investor sentiment. Banks were among the strongest performers, with Barclays up 3.1%, Societe Generale rising 1.8%, and Commerzbank gaining 0.8%. ABN AMRO jumped more than 4% after announcing plans to cut 5,200 jobs by 2028 as part of an effort to streamline operations and reduce costs. The tech sector also advanced, supported by gains in ASML Holding (1.3%) and...