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...
European equity markets were set to open higher on Monday, as investors looked ahead to key inflation data from the Eurozone and the UK later this week, which could offer insights into the region's monetary policy direction. Markets were also awaiting remarks from key central bank officials for further clues on future policy moves. Moreover, European futures tracked US futures higher as investors prepared for Nvidia's earnings report this week, with traders watching for guidance about the demand for its Blackwell AI chips. In premarket trade, Euro Stoxx 50 and Stoxx 600 futures were both up...
The Nikkei 225 Index dropped 0.7% to below 38,400, while the broader Topix Index fell 0.6% to 2,696 on Monday, mirroring losses on Wall Street as the post-election rally continued to lose momentum and concerns over a slower pace of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve weighed on sentiment. Japanese stocks also faced pressure from a sharp rebound in the yen on Friday. On the economic front, investors reacted to data showing a surprising decline in Japan's machinery orders in September. Looking ahead, markets are focused on key economic releases later this week, including Japanese...
Stocks in Hong Kong jumped 272 points or 1.4% to 19,702 in early trade on Monday after retreating in the prior six sessions, helped by robust gains in most sectors. Financial stocks led the advance, climbing around 2% after a Chinese regulator urged companies with share prices lower than book values to improve performance. Tech and consumer sectors also saw strong gains, despite Goldman Sachs' recommendation to underweight Hong Kong stocks due to limited economic and earnings growth. Capping the upturn was fresh data showing foreign direct investment in China tumbled 29.8% yoy in the first...
Asia-Pacific stocks were mostly lower Monday as markets kickstarted what ING calls a "quiet" week for economic data from the region. Key data this week from Asia will include China's loan prime rate, set to be released Wednesday. ING said no change is expected in China's LPR, with the one-year rate currently at 3.1% and the five-year LPR at 3.6%. Japan will release trade data on Tuesday and October headline inflation numbers on Friday, while Australia's central bank on Tuesday will release minutes of its meeting earlier this month. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 1.16% in early trade,...
Stocks tumbled on Friday as the postelection rally fizzled, placing the major averages on track for sharp weekly losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 305 points, or 0.7%. The S&P 500 slipped about 1.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 2.2%. Declines in pharmaceutical stocks weighed on the 30-stock Dow and the S&P 500, with Amgen down 4% and Moderna off by 6%. President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday that he planned to nominate vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) tumbled more...