Stocks in the US closed near the flatline on Friday as investors weighed President Trump's push for higher tariffs on the European Union against strong economic data and corporate earnings. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 finished mostly muted near their records, while the Dow Jones dropped 142 points, pressured by a 2.2% decline in American Express shares. Trump reportedly demands a minimum 15-20% tariff in any deal with the EU, which is working to finalize an agreement before his August 1 deadline. On the corporate front, Netflix shares fell 5.1% despite beating revenue and earnings...
The Hang Seng dipped 151 points or 0.6% to finish at 24,070 on Thursday, reversing previous strength as falls hit most sectors, particularly consumer, financial, and tech. Caution prevailed ahead of key U.S. payroll data after the first drop in private sector jobs in over two years. In China, a private survey showed services activity fell to a nine-month low in June, weighed by the steepest decline in foreign sales in over two years amid mounting trade headwinds. Fierce competition among mainland e-commerce giants also raised concerns over profit margins. The index trimmed early losses on...
European stocks edged higher on Thursday, with the STOXX 50 gaining 0.2% and the STOXX 600 rising 0.3%, extending the previous session's gains as investors continued to monitor trade developments. Sentiment was supported by news that the US has lifted certain chip design export restrictions on China, another sign of easing tensions and a potential trade truce. Semiconductor stocks responded positively, with Siemens up 1.6%, Infineon gaining 2%, and NXP Semiconductors jumping 4%. The US also reached a trade agreement with Vietnam, which includes a 20% tariff on Vietnamese...
Japanese shares ended higher on Thursday as investors awaited a key US jobs report and the outcome of a major tax and spending bill in Congress, both seen as potential triggers for Fed rate cuts. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.06%, or 23.42 points, to end at 39,785.90. Investors awaited a House vote in the US on Trump's $3.3 trillion tax and spending bill, which would cut taxes, reduce social programs, and raise the national debt. The focus also remained on US payrolls data due later in the day, with forecasts calling for a 110,000 job gain and unemployment rising to 4.3%. A surprise drop in...
The Hang Seng Index started the day with a 12-point rise, reaching 24,234 points before fluctuating and ultimately falling by 126 points or 0.52%, settling at 24,094 points. Concurrently, the H-share Index dropped by 60 points or 0.69% to 8,663 points, while the Technology Index decreased by 29 points or 0.56%, closing at 5,239 points. The main board saw a turnover of HKD 39.8 billion. Tech stocks showed softness with Tencent declining by 0.5%, Alibaba by 2.3%, Meituan by 2.1%, Xiaomi Corporation by 1.5%, and Kuaishou by 1.2%. In individual developments within financial stocks, HSBC...
Japanese stocks edge lower as uncertainty over U.S. tariffs continues. Tech and pharmaceutical stocks are leading declines. SoftBank Group falls 1.5% and Otsuka Holdings is 2.1% lower. USD/JPY is at 143.57, compared with 143.71 as of Wednesday's Tokyo stock market close. Investors are closely watching any developments related to U.S. tariffs as well as domestic policymaking ahead of the upper-house election later this month. The Nikkei Stock Average is down 0.1% at 39710.51. Sumber: Marketwatch