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 Hang Seng closed almost flat at 25,835 on Thursday (November 20), reversing morning gains after four consecutive sessions of losses. Strength in the financial sector helped offset declines in technology, property, and consumer stocks after the People's Bank of China (PBOC) maintained its benchmark interest rate at a record low for the sixth consecutive meeting, reinforcing its accommodative stance. Sentiment was mixed as media reports suggested China was considering new property support measures, including mortgage subsidies for first-time buyers, higher income tax rebates for mortgage...
European markets rallied at the opening bell on Thursday as investors reacted to strong earnings from leading artificial intelligence company Nvidia. The pan-European Stoxx 600 rose 1% in the first few minutes of trading. Nvidia released its third-quarter results after the opening bell on Wednesday, beating fourth-quarter revenue and sales estimates. The chipmaker posted a 62% year-over-year revenue surge to $57.01 billion and said it expects revenue of $65 billion in the fourth quarter. "There's a lot of talk about an AI bubble," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told investors on the earnings...
The Japanese stock market finally recovered after four consecutive days of decline. On Thursday, the Nikkei 225 index rose around 2.7%, while the Topix index strengthened 1.7%. In the morning session, the Nikkei even jumped more than 4%, its sharpest intraday gain in more than six weeks. The main driver came from Wall Street, after Nvidia released a revenue forecast that far exceeded expectations, immediately boosting market appetite for AI-themed stocks. The technology sector was the main driver of the rally. Stocks such as Advantest, Disco, and Ibiden recorded sharp gains, as concerns...
Hong Kong's equity markets commenced Wednesday's trading session in positive territory, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index rising by 169 points, or 0.65%, to reach 25,999. The rally was broad-based, with the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index climbing 52 points, or 0.56%, to 9,203, while the Hang Seng Tech Index gained 39 points, or 0.7%, settling at 5,646. The financial sector contributed significantly to the upbeat mood. Insurance giant AIA Group led the gains with a 1.6% ascent, while Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing advanced by 1%. HSBC Holdings and Ping An Insurance Group also...
Asian chip stocks opened higher on Thursday after Nvidia reported better-than-expected results and provided a highly optimistic outlook, reinforcing market confidence in the global AI-driven trading theme. Nvidia shares rose more than 4% in after-market trading after its third-quarter earnings and revenue beat expectations, along with a higher-than-expected fourth-quarter sales projection. CEO Jensen Huang called demand for Blackwell's next-generation chips "off the charts."In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index jumped as much as 3.7% early in the session, while the Topix index rose about 1.67%....