The S&P 500 rose 0.4% on Friday (July 25), notching its fifth consecutive record close—its longest streak in more than a year—while the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.2% after hitting an intraday high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 208 points as investors digested a wave of trade developments and corporate earnings. Optimism surrounding trade talks contributed to the rally, with President Trump scheduled to meet with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday amid hopes of a US-EU deal. Deals were also reached with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines ahead of the...
The Hang Seng jumped 349 points or 1.5% to close at 23,681 on Tuesday, picking up from a muted session the day before as all sectors posted strong gains. Sentiment recovered after the PBoC cut key lending rates to fresh lows for the first time in seven months, aiming to support the economy and cushion potential fallout from a trade war with the U.S. In a coordinated move, some major state-owned banks also lowered deposit rates to ease pressure on narrowing interest margins. However, further gains were tempered by a modest fall in U.S. futures, with investors cautiously awaiting remarks...
European equity indices edged higher Tuesday, boosted by a Chinese rate cut as well as the possibility of peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict. At 03:05 ET (07:05 GMT), the DAX index in Germany climbed 0.2%, the CAC 40 in France gained 0.2% and the FTSE 100 in the U.K. rose 0.3%.European stock indices have received a solid lead in from gains in Asia overnight, boosted by the decision of the People's Bank of China to cut its benchmark loan prime rate, bringing the rate further into record low territory. The cut signaled that Beijing was open to doling out more monetary stimulus to...
The Nikkei 225 edged up 0.1% to close at 37,529 on Tuesday, following notable losses in the previous session. Investor sentiment was supported by comments from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who emphasized Japan's commitment to national interests in trade talks, saying Tokyo would not rush a deal with the U.S. ahead of a third round of negotiations this week. Gains were also underpinned by Chinese rate cuts, with the PBoC lowering lending rates to new lows for the first time in seven months to support the sluggish economy. However, early gains were trimmed as U.S. futures dipped slightly,...
(Hong Kong) The Hang Seng Index opened with a gain of 65 points, or 0.28%, to stand at 23,398 on Monday. The China Enterprises Index rose 26 points, or 0.3%, to 8,486, while the Hang Seng Tech Index climbed 11 points, or 0.22%, to 5,266, reflecting mixed performance across technology stocks. Among tech giants, Tencent slipped 0.2%, while Alibaba advanced 0.6%. Meituan declined by 1.1%, but Xiaomi gained 1.2%, JD.com rose 0.2%, and Kuaishou improved by 0.5%. Financial stocks also showed a mixed trend, with HSBC rising 0.3%, AIA slipping 0.6%, Ping An Insurance advancing 0.7%, and Hong Kong...
The Nikkei 225 jumped 329 points or 0.9%, to 37,830 in early Tuesday trade, recovering from the prior day's weakness. The rally followed a modest rise in U.S. futures after the S&P 500 eked out a gain despite Moody's downgrade of the U.S. credit outlook. The broader Topix index also climbed, extending recent gains. Investors kept a close watch on ongoing U.S.-Japan trade talks, hoping for a finalized deal by June. On the corporate front, Reuters said that Nippon Steel plans to invest $14 billion in U.S. Steel's operations. Gains were tempered by caution ahead of Japan's upcoming April...