European stock markets edged higher on Monday, as investors looked ahead to a trading week due to feature key economic data and a potential U.S. government shutdown. The pan-European Stoxx 600 had climbed by 0.3%, while the Dax in Germany gained 0.2%, the CAC 40 in France rose 0.1%, and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. increased around 0.2%. Shares of Britain's GSK rallied over 2%, boosting the wider health care sector, on news that the drugmaker's CEO Emma Walmsley will step down. Walmsley is due to be replaced by Luke Miels in January. AstraZeneca's stock price also ticked up after the U.K....
The S&P 500 jumped to a fresh record on Wednesday after a reading on wholesale prices unexpectedly declined, a welcome development for investors clamoring for a Federal Reserve rate cut next week to boost the economy. Oracle shares led the gains with a more than 30% surge following an eye-popping forecast tied to artificial intelligence. The broad market index climbed 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3%. The Nasdaq, alongside the S&P 500, had reached a new all-time intraday high in the trading day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 106 points, or 0.2%. Market sentiment...
The Hang Seng Index surged 262 points, or 1%, to close at 26,200 on Wednesday, rallying for a fourth straight session to a four-year high, driven by gains across all sectors. The index followed Wall Street's advance amid growing bets that recent US labor market weakness will prompt the Fed to cut interest rates by at least 25 basis points next week, with upcoming inflation data set to provide the final clue. In China, the sharpest CPI decline in six months in August rekindled hopes for fresh government support, potentially boosting the trade-in value of consumer goods, while producer...
European stocks have opened higher as a bit of political calm enters the market. The Stoxx 600 Index was up 0.6% in its third session of straight gains. Retailers led the rally as Inditex shares jumped after the Zara-owner said it has seen a strong start to the third quarter. Technology shares were also notable outperformers, with the sector getting a boost from a bullish outlook from US peer Oracle. Chipmaker TSMC also reported a 34% in August sales, adding to optimism that AI is set to be a big growth area for the industry. Meanwhile, France's CAC 40 index climbed 0.6% as President...
Japanese shares rose on Wednesday, tracking Wall Street gains, as traders bet U.S. labor market weakness would prompt a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.87%, or 378.38 points, to end at 43,837.67. Traders see a Fed rate cut next Wednesday as certain, with 7% odds on a half-point move, CME's FedWatch Tool showed. A week ago, markets still saw a chance of no cut, but weak payrolls shifted expectations. Producer and consumer inflation data this week are the final tests. In economic data, Japanese manufacturers' sentiment hit a three-year high in September, lifted by...
The Hang Seng Index opened higher today, gaining 104 points to reach 26,042, before extending its rise by 227 points, or 0.87%, to settle at 26,165. This marks the index's fourth consecutive day of increases. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index also rose by 80 points, or 0.87%, to 9,323, while the Technology Index climbed by 105 points, or 1.8%, to 5,933. Trading volume on the main board reached HK$73.7 billion. In the technology sector, stocks showed mixed results. Tencent rose by 1.5%, Alibaba experienced a significant gain of 3.5%, and Meituan increased by 2.1%. However, Xiaomi Group...