Japan's Nikkei Stock Average is flat at 40681.72, as gains in electronics and brokerage shares offset declines in auto and pharmaceutical stocks. NEC Corp. is up 6.4% and Daiwa Securities Group is higher by 2.7%, while Honda Motor is down 1.7% and Chugai Pharmaceutical falls 1.2%. USD/JPY is at 148.27, compared with 148.25 as of Tuesday's Tokyo stock market close. Investors are focusing on quarterly earnings as well as any domestic political developments. Source: Marketwatch
The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 0.8% to above 35,100 while the broader Topix Index gained 0.7% to 2,602 on Thursday, with Japanese shares rising for the second straight session and tracking Wall Street higher. The rally followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who signaled a softer stance on China tariffs. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added that the U.S. and China have a chance to reach a "big deal" on trade. Investors also eyed progress in ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan. On the monetary policy front, the Bank of Japan is widely expected to hold its...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street as a possible thaw in U.S.-China trade war fuels investor optimism. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose over 1%, extending the previous day's gains. The Topix added 0.81%. South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.47% while the small-cap Kosdaq dipped 0.15%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.56%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slipped 0.29% while mainland China's CSI 300 traded flat.South Korea's GDP contracted 0.1% in the first quarter of 2025, according to advance figures released Thursday, missing the 0.1% rise expected by a...
U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 up 1.7%, the Nasdaq up 2.5% and the Dow up 419 points, as easing U.S.-China trade tensions and President Trump's assurance that he would not remove Fed Chairman Jerome Powell boosted sentiment. However, all three indexes fell from their highs as investors questioned whether a trade resolution was truly in sight. Treasury Secretary Bessent noted that Trump had not proposed unilateral tariff cuts and that talks with China had not yet begun, dampening early optimism. The remarks followed the president's remarks that tariffs might not...
European stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday, tracking strong momentum in equity markets around the world after the US administration signaled that tariffs on China were likely to be eased in the near future. The eurozone STOXX 50 closed 2.8% higher at 5,100 and the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 1.8% to close at 517. Remarks opposing the duration of the 145% tariffs on China were made by US President Trump and Finance Minister Bessent, who expressed confidence that there would be no long-term trade embargo during the administration. The signals boosted risk assets around the world,...
Wall Street's main indexes rallied at the open on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump dialed back on his threats to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and raised hopes for a trade deal with China. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI), rose 628.0 points, or 1.60%, at the open to 39,815.01. The S&P 500 (.SPX), rose 108.2 points, or 2.05%, at the open to 5,395.92, while the Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), rose 579.9 points, or 3.56%, to 16,880.29 at the opening bell. Source: Reuters