The S&P 500 closed mostly flat on Friday, the Dow Jones extended its record run, rising 240 points finisheing at 46,758 after briefly surpassing 47,000 during the session, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.3% as the US government shutdown entered its third day. Pressure came from major technology names, with Palantir Technologies leading the S&P 500 lower, dropping 7.5%, while Tesla and Nvidia fell 1.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Applied Materials declined 2.7% after warning of a $600 million revenue hit tied to semiconductor export restrictions. Investors focused on the shutdown, which...
The Nikkei 225 index rose 0.5%, above 39,000, while the broader Topix index gained 0.35%, reaching 2,720 on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session. The rally followed U.S. President Donald Trump's decision not to impose new tariffs on his first day in office, easing concerns for Japanese exporters. However, investors remained cautious ahead of the Bank of Japan's upcoming monetary policy decision this week, as BOJ officials have hinted at a potential interest rate hike. The move would raise Japan's short-term borrowing costs to 0.5%, the highest level since the 2008 global...
Asia-Pacific markets are expected to strengthen on Tuesday (21/1), as investors await further clarity on policies that US President Donald Trump will announce after his inauguration. In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index started the day up 0.52%, while the Topix rose 0.33%. Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi started trading 0.97% higher, while the Kosdaq gained 0.62%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 led gains in Asia, up 1.2%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index were last trading at 20,278, indicating a stronger open compared with the HSI's close of 19,925.81. The index hit its highest...
Donald Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by Chief Justice John Roberts. Alongside him, JD Vance took the oath of vice presidency, administered by Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In his inauguration speech, President Trump promised the beginning of a golden era for America. He is set to initiate a series of executive actions, as per incoming White House officials. These potentially include the commencement of a process to terminate birthright citizenship and the declaration of a national emergency on the US-Mexico border....
The STOXX 50 gained 0.6% and the STOXX 600 added 0.3% on Monday, rebounding from early losses, after the WSJ reported that US President will ask federal agencies to study trade with China and America's continental neighbours, but stop short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office. The news offered some momentarily relief to markets that were expecting some tariffs announced on the Inauguration day. Traders were also awaiting for any insights from Trump's speech and potential executive orders. Attention also shifts to the World Economic Forum kicking off in Davos, Switzerland. On...
The Hang Seng surged 342 points, or 1.8%, to close at 19,926 on Monday, rising for a fifth straight session and hitting its highest level since early 2025. The rally was driven by gains across sectors, boosted by news of a phone call between U.S. President-elect Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss key issues. Elsewhere, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng's meetings with Elon Musk and other U.S. businesses highlighted Beijing's efforts to improve ties ahead of Trump's return to the White House. Meanwhile, TikTok resumed its U.S. operations on Sunday after Trump announced a...