The Hang Seng closed almost flat at 24,911 on Wednesday after dipping slightly in morning deals. Traders digested comments from President Trump, who said the U.S. was close to a trade deal with China and that he would meet President Xi before year-end if an agreement is reached. Investors also looked ahead to key Chinese economic data, including trade figures on Thursday and inflation on Saturday, amid concerns over rising trade barriers and persistent deflation risks. At the same time, markets braced for a possible new U.S. tariff announcement targeting semiconductors and chips, expected...
Japan stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Paper & Pulp, Transport and Communication sectors led shares lower. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 fell 2.80% to hit a new 6-months low. The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Nitori Holdings Co Ltd (TYO:9843), which rose 5.30% or 780.00 points to trade at 15,510.00 at the close. Meanwhile, KDDI Corp. (TYO:9433) added 4.70% or 107.00 points to end at 2,382.50 and Secom Co., Ltd. (TYO:9735) was up 4.33% or 215.00 points to 5,178.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were...
The Nikkei 225 fell 2% to around 34,000, while the broader Topix Index dropped 2.3% to 2,510 on Friday, extending losses from the previous session and hitting their lowest levels in about eight months. Japanese shares also tracked a sharp selloff on Wall Street overnight which wiped out $4 trillion in market value as US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs stoked fears of an all-out trade war and a global recession. The tariffs—including a 24% levy on Japanese imports and a 25% tariff on car shipments—have dealt a significant blow to Japan's export-heavy economy, particularly its...
Asia-Pacific markets extended declines on Friday, tracking steep losses on Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs rattled global markets. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.06%. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.84% while the Topix declined 2.35%. South Korea's Kospi lost 1.15% and the small-cap Kosdaq traded 0.68% lower.Hong Kong and China markets are closed for the Qingming Festival. A verdict by South Korea's Constitutional Court to remove impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected later Friday. Should he be removed from office, it will trigger a 60-day countdown where an...
US equities saw their sharpest decline in more than two years on Thursday, as major stock indexes suffered steep losses. The S&P 500 plunged 4.8%, wiping out about $2 trillion in market value, marking its biggest decline since 2020. The Dow dropped nearly 1,680 points, while the Nasdaq dropped 5.9%. Investors were rattled by the looming threat of President Trump's new tariff plans, which could trigger global retaliation and potentially harm economic growth. Technology stocks led the selloff, with Apple falling 9% and Nvidia dropping 7.8%, while big-box retailers Nike (-13%) and Dollar...
European stock markets closed lower on Thursday, following U.S. President Donald Trump's stronger-than-expected trade tariff announcement. The regional Stoxx 600 index ended down about 2.7%. Big retail names with global supply chains suffered, with German sportswear retailer Adidas down 11%. Shipping giant Maersk, widely seen as a barometer of global trade, fell 9.5%. The Stoxx Autos index fell 3.9% as Trump's 25% tariffs on imported vehicles to the U.S. came into effect and added to existing duties on steel and aluminum. Other big losers included banks, down 5.6%, and technology, down...