US stocks were higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 rising 0.3%, the Nasdaq edging up 0.1%, and the Dow Jones jumping more than 250 points. The gains followed fresh record closes for the S&P 500 in back-to-back sessions. Investor sentiment was buoyed by renewed trade optimism after President Trump announced a deal with Japan that would lower tariffs from 25% to 15%. Japan also committed to investing $550 billion in the US and opening its markets to key American goods. Additionally, a trade agreement with the Philippines was announced, while hopes are growing that a deal with the EU...
Stocks in the US closed higher on Wednesday after President Trump denied plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, though he stopped short of ruling it out entirely. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3%, while the Dow rose 231 points and the Nasdaq 100 edged up 0.1% to mark fresh record close. Markets had initially dipped on reports suggesting Trump was weighing Powell's removal, compounding investor concerns over persistent inflation and ongoing trade tensions. June's flat Producer Price Index provided some relief after Tuesday's hotter-than-expected CPI reading, which showed the fastest...
US stocks edged higher Wednesday afternoon after President Trump denied plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, though he stopped short of ruling it out entirely. The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, rebounding from earlier losses, while the Dow gained 150 points and the Nasdaq 100 added 0.1%. Markets initially dropped on reports that Trump was considering Powell's removal, adding to existing anxiety over sticky inflation and trade tensions. The Producer Price Index came in flat for June, offering some relief after Tuesday's hotter-than-expected CPI report, which showed the fastest annual...
The Hang Seng Index fell 72 points, or 0.3%, to close at 24,518 on Wednesday (July 16th), down from a four-month high reached earlier in the session as traders booked profits. The decline ended a four-day winning streak, with sentiment weighed down by falling US futures prices following June inflation data, which indicated that tariffs may push prices higher and dampen expectations of a Fed rate cut. Meanwhile, President Trump said he may impose tariffs on pharmaceutical products by the end of July, with levies on semiconductors likely to follow soon after. He predicted these targeted...
The STOXX 50 was down 0.6% and the STOXX 600 slipped 0.3% on Wednesday, as investors focused on a fresh wave of corporate earnings. ASML Holding shares tumbled more than 6% after the company warned of no growth potential in 2026, citing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, including the risk of tariffs on new systems and parts shipped to the US and potential retaliatory measures from other countries. Despite these concerns, ASML beat Q2 estimates on both revenue and earnings. Other notable decliners included AstraZeneca (-1.3%), Siemens Energy (-1.9%), and Mercedes-Benz...
The Nikkei 225 edged down 0.04% to close at 39,663, while the broader Topix fell 0.21% to 2,819 on Wednesday, as investor caution grew ahead of Japan's upcoming Upper House election. Markets remain on edge over the potential for major fiscal shifts, including speculation that the government could reduce or abolish the sales tax. Such moves have fueled a rise in Japanese government bond yields, driven by concerns over increased borrowing costs. Adding to the uncertainty, investors continued to monitor evolving trade tensions after US President Donald Trump flagged possible tariffs on...