European stocks closed mostly higher to extend the positive momentum this week on strength in healthcare and luxury brands. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 inched higher to 5,651 and the pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.5% to 570, both at record highs. Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, Merck, and UCB rose more than 2%, extending their surge this week after the US Presidential Administration signaled that tariffs on pharmaceutical goods may be less aggressive than feared, while allowing patients to buy discounted prescription drugs through a new federal website. Luxury giants were also higher as markets assessed...
The Hang Seng rose 132 points, or 0.7%, to close at 20,198 on Monday (1/27), gaining for a second session amid broad gains. Positive sentiment was supported by news that the US and Colombia have averted trade tensions, as the White House confirmed that Bogota has agreed to all conditions set by President Trump in the migrant dispute. Adding to the upbeat mood, three Chinese insurance companies received regulatory approval to invest CNY 52 billion in stocks. Furthermore, excitement around DeepSeek, a Chinese AI with a cost-saving model, increased, sending tech stocks such as Kuaishou Tech...
Japanese stocks fell after the close on Monday (1/27), as losses in the Precision Instruments, Automobiles & Parts and Gas & Water sectors led shares lower. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was down 0.83%. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were Keio Corp. (TYO:9008), which rose 6.23% or 231.00 points to trade at 3,938.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (TYO:5233) gained 5.53% or 209.00 points to close at 3,987.00 and KDDI Corp. (TYO:9433) gained 4.81% or 234.00 points to 5,103.00 in late trade. The worst performers during the session were Furukawa Electric...
Hong Kong's stocks climbed 192 points or nearly 1% to 20,254 around noon on Monday, increasing for the second session and notching their highest level in two weeks as all sectors gained. Traders were upbeat after Bloomberg News reported that the US held off on Colombia tariffs after the South American country agreed to all of President Trump's terms in migrant dispute. A surge of 11% yoy in Chinese industrial profits for December also buoyed sentiment, as it marked the first rise since July even as they recorded the third consecutive year of drop. Limiting further gains was a slump in US...
Japanese stocks started the week on a positive note but quickly gave up most of their early gains as investors assessed the impact of the Bank of Japan's latest monetary policy decision. On Friday, the BOJ raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 0.5%, marking the highest short-term borrowing costs in 16 years. The central bank also projected inflation to reach its 2% target in the second half of its forecast period, suggesting the possibility of more rate hikes ahead. Investor sentiment soured further following news that US President Donald Trump had imposed tariffs and sanctions on...
The Hang Seng Index jumped 366 points, or 1.9%, to close at 20,066 on Friday, ending a two-day decline. The recovery followed a recent "cordial" conversation between U.S. President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, in which Trump expressed hope for a trade deal with China. The index jumped 2.5% for the week, marking its second straight gain after Chinese regulators urged insurers and mutual funds to buy more stocks to spur a rapid recovery in mainland stocks. A record close on Thursday in the S&P 500 also lifted sentiment, with Trump expecting lower interest rates as the Fed meets...