The Nikkei 225 Index rallied 1.1% to above 41,600 while the broader Topix Index jumped 1.5% to 2,970 on Thursday, with the latter reaching all-time highs as the recently announced trade deal with the US and Japan continued to support market momentum. Japan now faces a 15% tariff on its exports to the US, lower than the 25% levy that Trump threatened in a letter earlier this month. Global sentiment improved further on reports of progress in US-EU trade talks. On the domestic front, data showed that Japan's private sector growth held steady in July, with continued strength in services...
The Hang Seng fell 176 points or 0.9% to end at 19,795 on Monday(16/12), ending lower for the second session to hit its lowest level since Dec.6. An unexpected slowdown in China's retail trade burdened sentiment, highlighting the ongoing struggles of the economy. Meanwhile, China's statistics agency said domestic demand remains weak amid challenging global conditions. All sectors dipped, dragged by tech, property, and consumers. Still, the slump was capped by a modest rise in US futures, with markets awaiting the Fed's interest rate decision this week. The central bank is expected to...
European stocks started the week on a cautious note, with the STOXX 50 slipping 0.1% and the STOXX 600 hovering near the flatline, as traders brace for a week of key central bank decisions from the Fed, BoE, and BoJ. Adding to concerns were signs of economic weakness in the Euro Area. Flash PMIs from France revealed the country's private sector contracted for a fourth consecutive month, with a sharp deepening in the manufacturing downturn. Over the weekend, Moody's unexpectedly downgraded France's credit rating to Aa3 from Aa2, citing concerns over weakened public finances due to ongoing...
European markets are expected to open in mixed territory Monday, as traders gear up for the final Federal Reserve meeting of the year. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 4 points lower at 8,292, Germany's DAX up 36 points at 20,443, France's CAC down 1 point at 7,401 and Italy's FTSE MIB up 16 points at 34,876, according to data from IG. The Fed's decision on Dec. 18 stateside is front and center for global markets this week, with the CME Fedwatch tool forecasting a 96% chance of a 25-basis-point cut by the central bank. Traders will be paying close attention to the updated...
The Nikkei 225 index edged down 0.03% to close at 39,457, while the broader Topix index fell 0.3% to 2,738 on Monday, extending losses from the previous session as investors shifted their focus to the Bank of Japan's upcoming policy decision. Markets remain divided over whether the central bank will raise interest rates again or maintain its current stance when the decision is announced on Thursday. However, BOJ officials last week signaled that more time was needed to assess the latest economic data. Meanwhile, Japan's core machine orders beat expectations in October, signaling a positive...
The Hang Seng Index opened slightly lower at 19,962.29 in Hong Kong on Monday (12/16). AIA Group Ltd. was the biggest contributor to the decline, down 1.0%. Kuaishou Technology was the biggest decliner, down 1.6%. In early trading, 38 of 83 stocks were down, while 40 were up; two of four sectors were down, led by trade and industrial stocks. Source: Bloomberg