European stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday (July 23), halting three previous trading sessions' declines, buoyed by speculation that the US might accept lower tariffs following a new trade deal with Japan. The Eurozone STOXX 50 rose 1.1% to 5,350, and the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 1.1% to 550. President Trump lowered tariffs on Japan to 15% from an initial threat of 25%, despite no reports of substantial progress in trade negotiations between the EU and the US. Progress on auto tariffs with Japan, which has significant exposure to automakers, lifted shares of BMW, Stellantis,...
Hong Kong stocks jumped 233 points, or 1.2%, to 19,789 in early trade on Friday, bouncing back from a weak session the previous day amid optimism that China's central bank will ease monetary policy further next year to support growth and fight deflation. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley expect the PBOC to cut its key policy rate by 40bps in 2025, the biggest rate cut in a decade. The Hang Seng is on track for a second straight weekly gain, up nearly 2% so far, buoyed by hopes of a positive outcome from the upcoming central economic work forum and Politburo meeting in China. However,...
The Nikkei 225 index fell 0.6% to below 39,200 while the broader Topix index fell 0.4% to 2,730 on Friday, paring gains from earlier in the week and tracking losses on Wall Street overnight as a major rally in U.S. stocks lost momentum. Investors are also gearing up for the crucial U.S. monthly jobs report. In Japan, data showed that inflation-adjusted real wages were unchanged in October from a year earlier, an improvement from a 0.4% decline in September and 0.8% in August. That supported expectations for a potential interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month, although...
Asia-Pacific markets open mostly lower Friday after Wall Street saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average drop more than 200 points and S&P 500 retreat from a record high. Traders in Asia assessed household spending data out of Japan. Spending grew 2.9% in October compared to the previous month, beating expectations of a 0.4% growth by economists polled by Reuters. Year-over-year, household spending fell 1.3% in October, less than an expected 2.6%. India's central bank will announce its interest rate decision Friday. The Reserve Bank of India is expected to hold its key policy rate at 6.50%...
Nominal wages in Japan rose 2.6% year-on-year in October 2024, marking the slowest growth since May, in line with market expectations. In contrast, inflation-adjusted real wages—a key measure of consumer purchasing power—held steady compared with October 2023. That was an improvement from a 0.4% decline in September and a 0.8% decline in August. The stability in real wages has strengthened expectations of an interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month, although market sentiment remains divided over whether the next hike will come in December or January. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda...
US stocks closed lower on Thursday, retreating from records as investors tread cautiously ahead of Friday's pivotal jobs report, which could influence the Federal Reserve's December rate decision. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq slipped 0.2%, while the Dow Jones dropped 248 points. Weekly jobless claims rose to 224,000, slightly above expectations, indicating a cooling labor market. Tomorrow's nonfarm payrolls report is anticipated to show a gain of 200,000 jobs, with weaker data potentially bolstering expectations for a rate cut, currently at a 74% probability for a 25-basis-point reduction at...