Asian stock markets opened cautiously at the start of the week, with the MSCI Asia Pacific index rising slightly by 0.2%. The Kospi led the gains, while Japan's Nikkei index fell 0.5% after data showed the Japanese economy contracted again. Japanese retail and tourism stocks also weakened due to escalating tensions with China. US stock futures rose 0.3%, providing some positive sentiment. Investors are now awaiting a slew of US economic data, which returns after a long pause due to the shutdown, including the jobs report. At the same time, risk appetite appears to be weakening as AI stock...
Japanese stocks are expected to move higher on Friday, following Wall Street's record-breaking rally, fueled by OpenAI's latest funding and eye-catching valuations. Nikkei futures on SGX rose 35 points to 45,050, signaling a positive opening. In the currency market, USD/JPY was at 147.14 (vs. 147.26 late Thursday in New York), indicating a relatively stable yen. The stable exchange rate is boosting sentiment in export-oriented stocks. Investors will also be keeping an eye on Saturday's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election, which could potentially influence domestic...
The Nasdaq marked a record closing high on Thursday with support from the technology sector while the benchmark S&P 500 barely managed to notch a record close as investors cautiously monitored private labor market data in the second day of a U.S. government shutdown. The benchmark index's valuation was around its highest level since 2020, with help from heavyweight technology companies including AI chip leader Nvidia and Broadcom. With no official government data available because of the shutdown, investors were monitoring information from other sources. A report from global...
The S&P 500 rose 0.3% to a fresh record high on Thursday, while the Nasdaq gained 0.6% and the Dow Jones hovered near the flatline. Investors kept a cautious eye on the ongoing US government shutdown, though markets largely shrugged off concerns, awaiting further developments and hoping the stalemate proves short-lived. Technology led sector gains after OpenAI raised $6.6 billion in a share sale valuing the company at $500 billion and announced an agreement with South Korean chipmakers. Industrials, energy and consumer discretionary stocks also advanced, while real estate lagged. Among...
The Hang Seng Index rose for the third day, climbing 1.6%, or 431.56 to 27,287.12 in Hong Kong. The index advanced to the highest closing level in at least a year. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. contributed the most to the index gain, increasing 3.5%. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. had the largest increase, rising 12.7%. Today, 60 of 88 shares rose, while 25 fell; 3 of 4 sectors were higher, led by commerce and industry stocks. Source: Bloomberg.com
European stocks were on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 up 1% and the STOXX 600 gaining 0.6%, extending the previous session's rally that drove both benchmarks to fresh record closes. Technology shares were among the top performers, buoyed by momentum in Asia following OpenAI's agreement with South Korean chipmakers. Pharma stocks also extended gains after a relief rally in the prior session, amid signs that US President Trump's threatened tariffs on branded drugs may be less severe than feared after Pfizer struck a deal with the administration to offer discounted prescriptions through a new...