Asia-Pacific stock markets are expected to open mixed on Friday, marking a cautious start to the new year. This movement follows the New Year's Eve close of US markets, where the three major Wall Street indexes weakened, although overall they still posted positive performance for 2025. Several major Asian markets remain closed for the New Year holiday, including Japan and mainland China. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index opened relatively stable with no major movements. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index futures were at 25,648, slightly higher than the last close of 25,630.54,...
US stocks rose on Thursday, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.8%, the Nasdaq climbing 1.4%, and the Dow Jones adding about 66 points, after latest data showed inflation rate unexpectedly decreased. The annual inflation in the US fell to 2.7% in November, the lowest since July, below market expectations of 3.1%. Also, the core gauge fell to 2.6%, the lowest since March 2021. Although the figures remain noisy due to the absence of October data following the government shutdown, a sustained moderation in price pressures could pave the way for further Federal Reserve rate cuts next year. Consumer...
European stocks finished in positive territory on Thursday as traders positioned for central bank decisions today. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was almost 1% higher at the close of the session.Markets prepared for Europe's central banks to announce their final interest-rate decisions of the year on Thursday with the European Central Bank, Bank of England, Riksbank and Norges Bank all concluding monetary policy meetings on Thursday. The ECB kept rates at 2%, while Riksbank and Norges Bank also held steady. The Bank of England reduced its interest rate from 4% to 3.75%, in a...
Stocks rose on Thursday as Wall Street weighed the latest inflation data, which came in lighter-than-expected.The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 339 points, or 0.8%. The S&P 500 popped 1.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.5%. Micron Technology jumped 13% after the semiconductor play topped Wall Street estimates on the top and bottom lines for the fiscal first quarter and offered a strong revenue forecast for the current period. Micron helped rekindle the artificial intelligence trade, which has seen weakness in recent sessions. The delayed November consumer price index...
The Hang Seng Index rose 29 points, or 0.1%, to close at 25,498 on Thursday (December 18), reversing early losses, led by gains primarily from the financial sector. Sentiment improved as mainland Chinese stocks extended gains, with traders shifting to defensive sectors amid concerns over global AI spending and regional tensions. Investors welcomed data showing China's youth unemployment rate fell to a five-month low of 16.9% in November, signaling a tentative stabilization in the labor market. Meanwhile, China's fiscal revenue grew 0.8% year-on-year in the first 11 months, matching the...
European markets opened today, Thursday, December 18, 2025, with a cautious attitude. Investors await the latest move from the European Central Bank (ECB), which is expected to hold interest rates. Inflation in the eurozone has begun to stabilize, so the ECB has chosen not to rush into policy changes to maintain economic stability. The latest inflation data shows that price pressures have not increased sharply. This signals that economic conditions are still under control, although growth is not yet fully robust. This situation has led market participants to choose to wait before making...