European shares closed higher on Monday, rebounding from six-week lows as a surge in banking stocks offset a decline in Swiss shares following a hefty 39% U.S. tariff on Swiss goods. The pan-European STOXX 600 index, rose 0.9%, with most major regional markets, barring Swiss stocks, rebounding from Friday's sharp losses, when worries about tariffs and a weak U.S. jobs report hammered sentiment. The German DAX climbed 1.4%, France's CAC 40 rose 1.1% and Britain's FTSE 100 added 0.7%. Zurich's SMI index dipped 0.2% as trading resumed following a long weekend. Switzerland was left stunned on...
European markets opened lower Wednesday as global traders brace themselves for a raft of fresh trade tariffs due to be announced by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. After rebounding Tuesday, the regional Stoxx 600 index was back in the red early Wednesday, down 0.23% shortly after the open. Most sectors notched declines, though travel and oil and gas stocks posted slight gains. Investors are concerned that the White House could be erring toward more punitive import duties after Trump said earlier this week that his "reciprocal tariffs" plan will target "all countries" when...
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.3% to around 35,520, while the broader Topix Index dropped 0.9% to 2,637 on Wednesday, extending this week's selloff as investors geared up for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. Trump is also set to impose levies on car imports, affecting a key export industry in Japan. Data earlier this week showed that business sentiment in Japan weakened for the first quarter amid mounting concerns over the potential effects of US tariffs on Japan's export-driven economy. Investors now await household spending data on Friday for further economic...
Hong Kong stocks fell 52 points or 0.2% to 23,161 in early deals on Wednesday, reversing a modest gain in the previous session amid losses in most sectors. Investors took a cautious stance ahead low as US futures drifted lower. Uncertainty also grew over China's policy stimulus, raising concerns about whether it would be timely and sufficient to counter escalating trade pressures. Goldman Sachs analysts warned that China's manufacturing activity could face pressures in the coming months due to additional trade barriers. Locally, Hong Kong's retail sales plunged 15.0% yoy in February,...
Asia-Pacific markets opened slightly higher Wednesday as investors brace for U.S. President Donald Trump to roll out fresh tariffs this week. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.06%, while the Topix declined 0.3%. South Korea's Kospi added 0.14% and the small-cap Kosdaq inched up 0.12%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 traded 0.63% higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures last traded at 23,150, lower than the HSI's Tuesday close of 23,206.64. U.S. stock futures moved higher as Wall Street awaits the expected rollout of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Wednesday. Overnight in the U.S., the three...
Wall Street major averages closed a volatile session mixed on Tuesday, as investors awaited clarity from President Trump regarding his upcoming tariff policy. The S&P 500 rose by 0.4%, the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.9%, while the Dow Jones finished marginally in the red. Consumer discretionary stocks, including Tesla and Nike, led the day's gains. The market remained under pressure from weaker-than-expected economic data, including a disappointing manufacturing survey with price pressures at their highest since 2022 and job openings below forecasts. The White House confirmed that reciprocal...