European stocks closed lower for a third session amid persistent concerns about US tariffs. The Eurozone STOXX 50 index fell 1% to 5,288, and the pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5% to 544. US Treasury Secretary Bessent noted that White House officials were prioritizing trade agreements they considered beneficial rather than rushing to reach a deal before the August 1 deadline, which could potentially pave the way for the imposition of 30% tariffs on the EU before negotiations conclude. Defense stocks were among the biggest decliners, with Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, and Thales falling...
The STOXX 50 was down 0.6% and the STOXX 600 slipped 0.3% on Wednesday, as investors focused on a fresh wave of corporate earnings. ASML Holding shares tumbled more than 6% after the company warned of no growth potential in 2026, citing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, including the risk of tariffs on new systems and parts shipped to the US and potential retaliatory measures from other countries. Despite these concerns, ASML beat Q2 estimates on both revenue and earnings. Other notable decliners included AstraZeneca (-1.3%), Siemens Energy (-1.9%), and Mercedes-Benz...
The Nikkei 225 edged down 0.04% to close at 39,663, while the broader Topix fell 0.21% to 2,819 on Wednesday, as investor caution grew ahead of Japan's upcoming Upper House election. Markets remain on edge over the potential for major fiscal shifts, including speculation that the government could reduce or abolish the sales tax. Such moves have fueled a rise in Japanese government bond yields, driven by concerns over increased borrowing costs. Adding to the uncertainty, investors continued to monitor evolving trade tensions after US President Donald Trump flagged possible tariffs on...
The Hang Seng Index opened higher today, rising 113 points or 0.46% to 24,704. The China Enterprises Index gained 49 points or 0.56% to 8,927, while the Tech Index climbed 48 points or 0.88% to 5,479. Technology stocks were the main drivers of the market, with Tencent up 0.4%, Alibaba gaining 1.9%, Meituan increasing 1.2%, Xiaomi advancing 0.9%, and Kuaishou rising 1.6%. Financial stocks saw mixed performance. HSBC Holdings remained flat, AIA Group rose 0.4%, Ping An Insurance fell 0.1%, and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing added 0.2%. Pop Mart shares showed slight movement after issuing...
Asia-Pacific markets fell after U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had struck a preliminary trade agreement with Indonesia, which will impose a 19% tariff on the country's exports to the U.S. Indonesia's central bank is set to release its policy decision later in the day. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he reached a preliminary trade deal with Indonesia, which will set a 19% tariff on the Southeast Asian country's U.S. exports. "We will pay no tariffs. So they are giving us access into Indonesia, which we never had," Trump told reporters outside the White...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.1% to around 39,716 while broader Topix Index fell 0.4% to 2,815 on Wednesday, with Japanese shares showing mixed performance as investors reacted to the latest trade developments. US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he had reached a preliminary trade agreement with Indonesia, which will set a 19% tariff on the country's exports to the US. Domestically, data showed that sentiment among Japanese manufacturers improved slightly in July driven largely by a rebound in the semiconductor sector, despite lingering concerns over US trade...