US stocks opened sharply lower in August, with all three major indexes falling more than 1%, as a weaker-than-expected jobs report fueled renewed concerns about the strength of the US labor market and the overall economy. Non-farm payrolls rose by just 73,000 in July, and employment figures for May and June were revised down by 258,000, adding to evidence that the labor market is slowing more rapidly than anticipated. The weaker data fueled expectations that the Fed would cut interest rates twice this year, with another cut likely in September. Market pressure intensified when President...
European stocks closed firmly higher on Tuesday, extending the sharp gains from last session after prospects that the US could pause tariffs for autos and parts supported key sectors of the European economy. The Eurozone's STOXX 50 gained 1.2% and the pan-European STOXX 600 jumped 1.6%. Investor sentiment was buoyed by President Trump's remarks on Monday, indicating he is considering temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and parts to give automakers more time to expand US-based production. Besides aiding companies with exposure to the auto sector, the remarks supported hopes...
The three major averages in the US were up nearly 0.3% on Tuesday, as investors weighed trade war developments against rising hopes for a temporary pause in auto tariffs. President Trump said on Monday he is considering temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and auto parts, aiming to give manufacturers more time to ramp up US-based production. At the same time, the Commerce Department announced a new investigation into the national security implications of semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports, a move seen as laying the groundwork for fresh tariffs in those sectors. In...
The Hang Seng rose 49 points or 0.23% to finish at 21,466 on Tuesday, extending its winning streak to a sixth session and holding at a two-month peak. U.S. tariff exclusions on specific electronics continued to support sentiment, which helped ease concerns about President Trump's reciprocal tariffs on China. At the same time, U.S. futures were slightly higher after back-to-back gains on Wall Street S&P 500 Monday, with attention shifting to upcoming Q1 earnings results. However, advances were capped as investors awaited more clarity on trade developments, particularly after the U.S....
Stocks in Europe were higher on Tuesday, with both the STOXX 50 adding 0.3% and the STOXX 600 rising about 0.7%, as optimism grew over a potential pause in auto tariffs and the earnings season gained momentum. Investor sentiment was buoyed by President Trump's remarks on Monday, indicating he is considering temporary exemptions on tariffs for imported vehicles and parts to give automakers more time to expand US-based production. The auto sector led the gains, with Mercedes-Benz climbing 2.9%, BMW 2.5%, Volkswagen 2.8%, Stellantis 4.3%, and Renault 1.9%. Other sectors also traded in...
Japanese stocks rose after the close on Tuesday (4/15), as gains in the Real Estate, Banking and Textile sectors helped stocks advance. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.89%. The best performers on the Nikkei 225 were Yokogawa Electric Corp. (TYO:6841), which rose 7.41% or 208.00 points to trade at 3,014.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Denso Corp. (TYO:6902) rose 5.64% or 94.00 points to close at 1,761.00 and Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. (TYO:5802) gained 5.27% or 107.50 points to 2,148.00 at the close. The worst performers on the session were Shiseido Co., Ltd. (TYO:4911),...