Europe's STOXX 600 closed at a record high on Wednesday, with healthcare stocks leading the way after a U.S.-Pfizer deal reduced uncertainty in the sector, while investors digested the beginning of a U.S. government shutdown. The pan-European STOXX 600 surged 1.2% to log its biggest one-day percentage gain since July 23. Most regional bourses were also trading higher, with London's FTSE 100 at a record high. Healthcare stocks jumped 5.4%, marking their biggest one-day performance since November 2008. On Tuesday, Pfizer agreed to lower prescription drug prices in the U.S. Medicaid programme...
Following a four-month streak of gains, the Hong Kong stock market has continued its upward momentum into September. The Hang Seng Index opened strongly, climbing by 430 points or 1.71% to reach 25,508 points. Meanwhile, the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose by 136 points, equivalent to a 1.52% increase, settling at 9,084 points. The Technology Index also experienced a boost, gaining 117 points or 2.07% to stand at 5,792 points. Technology stocks exhibited robust performance across the board. Tencent saw an increase of 1.4%, while Alibaba surged by an impressive 14.9% following its...
Japanese equities opened lower as investors steered clear of chip and tech shares following declines in Nvidia and Dell Technologies on the U.S. stock market over the weekend. The Topix Index was virtually unchanged at 3,074.18 as of 9:35 a.m. Tokyo time, while the Nikkei declined 1.1% to 42,258.84. Out of 1,680 stocks in the index, 1,023 rose and 573 fell, while 84 were unchanged. Selling pressure increased for electronics, machinery and precision equipment shares, while non-ferrous metal stocks took a hit. Domestic demand sectors like pharmaceuticals and...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday as investors assess China's RatingDog manufacturing data for August. The metric - which was previously known as the Caixin Purchasing Managers' Index - came in at 50.5, compared to a contraction of 49.5 the month before. Data released Sunday showed that the country's manufacturing PMI data came in at 49.4 in August, compared to 49.3 the month before. Investors are also assessing the developments in India and China relations, after leaders from both countries agreed that they are development partners, not rivals during a two-day meeting of the...
US stocks fell in the afternoon trading as investors took profits following a strong week that saw the S&P 500 reach record highs, amid signs that inflationary pressures remain persistent in the US economy. The S&P 500 lost 0.8%, the Nasdaq 100 declined 1.4%, and the Dow slipped 0.4%. Technology shares leading the retreat, with Nvidia dropping 3.8% as cautious guidance on China sales weighed on sentiment, while Dell slumped 8.6% after disappointing forecasts. Inflation remained in focus as the Fed's preferred gauge, the core PCE index, rose 2.9% year-on-year in July, the highest...
US stocks pulled back on Friday as the latest economic data continued to reflect stubborn inflationary pressures in the US economy, clouding the Fed's rate outlook. The S&P 500 and the Dow dropped 0.2% from record highs yesterday, while pressure for the heavyweight tech sector drove the Nasdaq down by 0.5%. Personal income and spending accelerated from the previous month to reflect a robust economy at the turn of the quarter, when President Trump toned down tariff threats. In the meantime, core PCE prices, the Fed's preferred gauge for underlying inflation, accelerated to 2.9%...