United States (US) President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded an initial face-to-face meeting in Alaska late Friday, with both parties delivering mutually inconclusive statements. Trump and Putin both delivered vague promises of "progress" on multiple fronts, but initial details remain light. Now, President Trump will be pivoting to hand-delivering Russia's peace proposals on Ukraine to both the Ukrainian and European Union government bodies. Key Putin highlightsMeeting has been long overdue.Ukraine situation was one of key issues.Ukraine war is a tragedy, great...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.22% to close at 38,403 on Friday, while the broader Topix index dropped 0.75% to 2,771, extending losses from the previous session as accelerating inflation raised concerns about tighter monetary policy. Japan's core inflation rate rose for a third straight month in May, hitting 3.7%—the highest level since January 2023—strengthening expectations that the Bank of Japan could continue its policy normalization efforts. Geopolitical tensions also weighed on sentiment, amid reports that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a possible strike on Iran, adding to market...
Hong Kong shares rose 165 points, or 0.7%, to 23,399 in early trading on Friday, snapping a three-day losing streak amid broad sector gains. The market recovered from a three-week low after China's central bank kept its main lending rate unchanged, as expected, following a record cut in May aimed at boosting the economy and offsetting the impact of rising U.S. tariffs. Sentiment was further boosted by hopes that China's top legislature could recommend fresh stimulus measures during the early July session. However, for the week, the Hang Seng is on track for its first decline in three terms,...
The Nikkei 225 rose 0.4% to above 38,600 on Friday, recovering some of the previous session's losses as investors digested Japan's latest inflation figures. Headline inflation eased slightly to 3.5% in May from 3.6% in the previous two months, the lowest level since November 2024. However, core inflation, which excludes fresh food but includes energy, rose for a third straight month to 3.7%, the highest since January 2023. This reinforced expectations that the Bank of Japan will continue to tighten monetary policy in response to persistent inflationary pressures. Externally, geopolitical...
Hong Kong stocks dropped sharply on Thursday after US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of "meaningful" inflation ahead, and investors grew concerned about potential US involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. The Hang Seng Index lost 472.95 points, or 2.0%, to close at 23,237.74, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 183.25 points, or 2.1%, to 8,410.94. The US central bank left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and penciled in two cuts by the end of 2025. While the Fed expects two rate reductions in 2025, it trimmed its growth forecast and raised its inflation...
The STOXX 50 fell 0.7% to 5,230 points on Thursday, while the broader STOXX 600 dropped 0.6%, as market sentiment was dampened by ongoing tensions in the Middle East and concerns over potential U.S. involvement. Investors also reacted to the latest U.S. Federal Reserve decision. The conflict between Israel and Iran continues to escalate, with U.S. President Trump warning that the U.S. could potentially join Israeli airstrikes on Tehran. At the same time, Trump noted that Iranian officials have expressed interest in holding talks, while EU leaders are scheduled to engage in nuclear...