European equity markets extended their rally on the first trading day of 2026, with benchmark indices pushing to fresh record highs despite thin liquidity following the New Year holiday. Gains were led by defense stocks, underpinned by persistent geopolitical tensions and expectations of increased military spending across the region. The STOXX 50 climbed 0.7% to a new all-time high of 5,830 points, while the broader STOXX 600 rose 0.4% to a record 595 points. The strong start to the year follows a robust performance in 2025, when the STOXX 50 advanced about 18% and the STOXX 600 rose 17%,...
Hong Kong shares dropped 371 points, or 1.4%, to 25,258 Tuesday morning's session, extending steep losses from the previous day as all sectors retreated. Risk appetite was burdened by declines in mainland markets after weak November data showed fragile industrial output and retail turnover amid soft external demand and shaky domestic conditions. Local equities neared their lowest in a week, following a negative lead from Wall Street, where AI and tech weakness persisted. Losses were partly offset by domestic data showing Hong Kong's manufacturing output rose for a fourth straight quarter in...
Asia-Pacific stock markets mostly opened lower on Tuesday, following Wall Street's overnight decline. Pressure stemmed from investors exiting artificial intelligence (AI) stocks in the United States. Oracle shares plunged more than 5%, Broadcom fell more than 2%, while Microsoft also posted losses. In the US, the S&P 500 index fell 0.16%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell slightly, and the tech-dominated Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.59%. In Asia, market movements were mixed. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index opened up 0.14%. However, preliminary purchasing managers' index (PMI)...
Japan's Nikkei stock index opened 1.1% lower at 49,624.20 in early trading, following Wall Street's sharp decline overnight. Market participants remained cautious due to the busy data schedule and economic agenda throughout the week. According to IG Chief Market Analyst Chris Beauchamp, investor risk appetite remains low, leading to market volatility. Pressure also came from artificial intelligence-related stocks, as the Nasdaq Composite Index in the United States weakened. Japanese technology stocks were also affected, with Yaskawa Electric plunging 5.5%, Fujikura down 5.1%, and Japan...
The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones added 0.1% and 0.2%, respectively, while the Nasdaq fell 0.2% as a tech-led tumble erased early gains and left markets awaiting clearer macro direction. Heavyweights tied to the AI theme, including Broadcom (-5.6%), Oracle (-2.6%), and several semiconductor names, weighed on performance after Broadcom flagged margin pressures and Oracle delivered softer guidance, reviving concerns over the profitability and financing of large-scale AI investments. ServiceNow's 11.6% plunge following reports of a sizable acquisition and a KeyBanc downgrade added to...
European stocks finished the session firmly higher, with the Euro STOXX 50 rising 0.7% and the STOXX Europe 600 gaining 0.8%, extending a rebound from Friday's tech-led selloff as investors looked past near-term volatility. Gains were broad-based, though the defense sector came under pressure after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled Ukraine's willingness to drop its long-standing bid for NATO membership in exchange for alternative security guarantees, a shift that raised hopes for progress in peace talks resuming in Berlin. Shares of Rheinmetall fell 2.6%, with Hensoldt and Renk also...