European stocks ended mixed on the last trading day of the year. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed a shortened trading session 0.1% lower on Wednesday, with most sector indexes in negative territory. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 ended the day down 0.2%, bringing the index to an annual gain of 21.5% – its strongest yearly gain since 2009. Meanwhile, France's CAC 40 ended New Year's Eve down 0.2%, while Germany's DAX rose 0.6%. Italy's FTSE MIB gained 1.1%, bringing annual gains to 31.5% and its best year since 1998. Markets were open for a half-day of trading on Wednesday, and will be closed...
The Hang Seng dropped 28 points, or 0.1%, to close at 25,774 on Tuesday, reversing early gains led mainly by tech stocks and snapping a four-session winning streak. The decline followed a 3.5% fall in shares of Kuaishou Technology after media reports said the Chinese short-video platform experienced a sudden surge in explicit content due to a cyberattack on Monday. The stock plunged as much as 6%, its biggest one-day percentage drop since October 14, before closing down 3.5%. The company confirmed it had experienced a cyberattack on Monday night and said in a statement on Tuesday that it...
The Nikkei 225 Index traded flat to close around 50,412 on Tuesday, following a two-session winning streak, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the government's finalization of the fiscal 2026 draft budget on Friday. The upcoming budget is projected to exceed ¥122 trillion ($781 billion), marking a record high and requiring bond issuance above last year's ¥28.6 trillion. This would come on top of a ¥21.3 trillion stimulus package funded through a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, aimed at alleviating households from the effects of rising living costs. Notable...
The Hang Seng Index rose 107 points, or 0.4%, on Tuesday, reaching 25,909, posting its fifth consecutive session of gains. This rise was fueled by a recovery in the technology sector, fueled by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) stocks that fueled the rally on Wall Street. The Hong Kong stock market also benefited from hopes for further interest rate cuts by the Fed and expected additional stimulus from the Chinese government. Several major stocks, such as CSPC Pharmaceutical Group (up 5.2%), Zhongsheng Group (3.0%), and Ping An Insurance (2.9%), also boosted the index....
Asian stocks continued their two-day rally, following positive momentum from Wall Street that fueled a global rally. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.3% on Tuesday morning after global stock indexes hit record closing highs. In Japan, the Topix index rose 0.5%, while US index futures edged higher. This rise was fueled by optimism about a year-end rally that is expected to strengthen. The S&P 500 erased December's losses and is on track for its eighth consecutive month of gains, which would be its longest winning streak since 2018. Large stocks like Tesla and Nvidia led the gains,...
Japanese stock markets may face a decline on Tuesday, given the uncertainty surrounding the domestic earnings outlook for Japanese companies. The yen's modest rebound from its previous decline also has the potential to put pressure on the market. Nikkei futures were down 0.2% at 50320 on the SGX, reflecting market anxiety ahead of the next trading session. USD/JPY traded at 156.89, down from 157.33 recorded at the Tokyo stock market close on Monday. This yen rebound is of significant concern, as a strengthening Japanese currency typically places a burden on Japanese exporters who rely on...