The Nikkei 225 fell 0.85% to 44,551 while the broader Topix dropped 1.37% to 3,095 on Wednesday, extending this week's declines as investors digested mixed economic signals. Business sentiment among large manufacturers improved in Q3 to its highest level since Q4 2024, though US tariff pressures continued to cloud the outlook. Meanwhile, weak readings in retail sales and industrial production highlighted persistent economic headwinds. Sentiment was further dampened by the US government shutdown after lawmakers failed to agree on a temporary funding deal, raising concerns over its duration...
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had completed a "massive Deal" with Japan, which set tariffs of 15% on the country's exports to the U.S. Overnight, the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 rose to another record high. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.71% at the open, while the Topix climbed 1.87% as of 9.09 a.m. Japan time (8.09 p.m. ET Tuesday). South Korea's Kospi added 0.89% and the small-cap Kosdaq was 0.22% higher. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.34%. Source: CNBC
US stocks closed mixed on Tuesday (July 22nd), as the S&P 500 hit a new record, rising nearly 0.1%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 170 points, and the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.5% ahead of key earnings reports from Alphabet and Tesla. Chip stocks weighed on the Nasdaq, with Nvidia down 2.4% and Broadcom down 3.3% following reports that SoftBank and OpenAI's massive AI project was stalled. Shares of Lockheed Martin (-10.8%) and Philip Morris (-8.2%) fell sharply after disappointing results. General Motors (-8%) also warned of a deeper impact on profits related to tariffs after a 32%...
European stocks closed lower for a third session amid persistent concerns about US tariffs. The Eurozone STOXX 50 index fell 1% to 5,288, and the pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5% to 544. US Treasury Secretary Bessent noted that White House officials were prioritizing trade agreements they considered beneficial rather than rushing to reach a deal before the August 1 deadline, which could potentially pave the way for the imposition of 30% tariffs on the EU before negotiations conclude. Defense stocks were among the biggest decliners, with Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, and Thales falling...
The S&P 500 fell on Tuesday, a day after the broad market index and Nasdaq Composite hit fresh records, as traders weighed the latest earnings reports and new trade developments. The S&P 500 ticked lower by 0.3%, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 74 points, or 0.2%. Shares of aerospace and defense name Lockheed Martin were down almost 7% after the company's revenue for the second quarter missed analyst estimates. Similarly, Philip Morris lost 6% after the tobacco company's second-quarter revenue also missed expectations. So far, 88 S&P 500...
Hong Kong stocks rose modestly on Tuesday, as investors positioned ahead of the Politburo meeting in China that could set the economic tone for the rest of the year, while sentiment remained upbeat following the launch of the world's largest hydropower dam project on the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau. The Hang Seng Index gained 135.89 points, or 0.5%, to close at 25,130.03, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) added 35.40 points, or 0.4%, to 9,075.60. Focus is now on the upcoming Politburo meeting, convened by Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month, which could...