US stocks rallied on Wednesday (July 23), driven by optimism over a new trade agreement and strong corporate momentum. The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to a new record high, while the Nasdaq gained 0.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 505 points, nearly reaching its own record high. The market welcomed news of a finalized trade deal between the US and Japan that includes reciprocal tariffs of 15%, with President Trump signaling similar progress in negotiations with the European Union. Reports suggesting a US-EU deal is nearing completion, mirroring Japan's framework, further boosted...
The Hang Seng Index rose 64 points, or 0.3%, to close at 24,203 on Monday (July 14), extending gains for the third consecutive session as investors responded positively to Chinese trade data. Exports grew 5.8% year-on-year (yoy) in June, beating the 5% projection as companies accelerated deliveries amid a fragile tariff truce ahead of the August deadline. Meanwhile, imports grew 1.1% after a 3.4% decline in May. Adding to optimism, new yuan loans increased faster than expected in June, driven by a seasonal surge in loan issuance and strong government bond sales. However, further gains were...
European stocks fell on Monday after President Donald Trump dialed up trade tensions by announcing a 30% tariff on goods from the region. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.5% as of 8:20 a.m. in London. The consumer and auto sectors were the biggest laggards. Following renewed tariff pressure from Trump, the European Union is getting ready to step up its engagement with other countries hit by levies. The region's benchmark is still up slightly in July, with investors turning their attention to the impact of duties on earnings. "While 30% tariffs on the EU...
Japanese shares ended lower on Monday as a Bank of Japan survey showed 85% of households expect prices to rise, while the central bank may potentially raise its inflation forecast this month on stubborn food costs. The Nikkei 225 declined 0.28%, or 110.06 points, to end at 39,459.62. About 85% of Japanese households expect prices to rise over the next year, slightly down from 86.7% in March, a Bank of Japan survey showed on Monday. The central bank is considering raising its inflation forecast for the current fiscal year due to rising food costs, Reuters reported, citing sources. However,...
The Hang Seng Index opened 39 points lower, a decline of 0.16%, settling at 24,100 points. Meanwhile, the China Enterprises Index dropped 8 points or 0.09% to 8,679 points, and the Technology Index fell 8 points or 0.15% to 5,240 points. Technology stocks showed mixed performance: Tencent edged up 0.1%, Alibaba slipped 0.6%, Meituan declined 0.1%, Xiaomi Group gained 0.2%, and Kuaishou rose 0.5%. Financial stocks were generally weaker. HSBC Holdings dropped 1.1%, AIA Group fell 0.5%, Ping An Insurance edged up 0.1%, and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange declined 0.1%. Automotive stocks also saw...
The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.3% to below 39,500 while the broader Topix Index lost 0.2% to 2,817 on Monday, with the former hitting over two-week lows as renewed trade tensions weighed on sentiment. The drop followed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a 30% tariff on imports from the European Union and Mexico, set to take effect on August 1. In response, the EU is reportedly ramping up talks with other affected countries, including Canada and Japan, to explore possible coordinated measures. On the domestic front, Japan's core machinery orders fell 0.6% month-over-month to ¥913.5...