The Hang Seng climbed 233 points, or 0.9%, to close at 26,855 on Tuesday, reversing early losses to hit a two-week high on broad-based gains. The index jumped 7% in September, its fifth straight monthly advance, and posted a third quarterly gain of 11.6%, fueled by AI optimism, strong inflows, and bets of fresh policy support from Beijing ahead of the October plenum. Still, upside was capped by U.S. political uncertainty, with Vice President Vance warning the government was "headed to a shutdown" amid stalled budget talks. Profit-taking also weighed as traders braced for China's week-long...
US stocks soared on Friday after Fed Chair Powell signaled the possibility of a September rate cut during his Jackson Hole speech, sparking the strongest cross-asset rally since April. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq climbed 1.5% and 1.9%, respectively, while the Dow Jones surged 846 points to a record intraday high. Speaking at the Fed's annual Jackson Hole Symposium, Powell noted that the shifting balance of risks in the economy "may warrant adjusting our policy stance," while cautioning that inflation pressures remain. Traders quickly ramped up bets on a 25 bps rate cut in September to...
European stock markets closed higher on Friday, as investors continued to assess the full scope of the European Union's trade deal with America and hopes rose for a U.S. interest rate cut in September. The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally closed 0.47% higher, with top sectors including mining, autos and travel. London's FTSE 100 closed at a record high for the fourth session in a row, adding another 0.13% on Friday to clinch its best weekly performance since May. U.K. stocks have found support this week from gains in mining, retail and defensive stocks, along with Purchasing Managers'...
US stocks rose slightly on Friday after a decline led by the technology sector this week as the market awaited Federal Reserve Chairman Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average rose more than 0.6%, while the Nasdaq 100 edged up only slightly. Powell is likely to reveal how the FOMC is balancing inflation risks with a slowing labor market, as downward revisions to payrolls data weighed on high producer prices and cost measures in the PMI. Technology stocks were the highlight of the corporate sector. Alphabet rose 1.5% after...
The Hang Seng Index rose 212 points, or 0.8%, to close at 25,317 on Friday (August 22nd), rebounding from the previous session's decline as mainland Chinese markets reached a decade-high on resurgent tech optimism. The Hang Seng Technology Index surged 2.7% after DeepSeek launched its upgraded AI V3 model on Thursday, boosted by domestic semiconductors as Beijing develops chip self-sufficiency. Consumer stocks also rose sharply on hopes of fresh stimulus from Beijing after signs of a slowdown in Chinese activity in July. Locally, Hong Kong's annual inflation fell to a four-year low of 1.0%...
European stocks traded flat to lower on Friday as investors turned cautious ahead of Fed Chair Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole speech and weighed the impact of the EU's new trade deal with the US. Under the pact, the EU pledged $750 billion in US energy spending and at least $600 billion in investment, securing a tariff cap of 15% instead of the threatened 30%. Pharmaceuticals, like other EU exports, will face the 15% levy. Meanwhile, revised data showed Germany's economy contracted more sharply in Q2, dragged by a weaker manufacturing sector after US firms front-loaded purchases earlier in...