The Hang Seng closed almost flat at 24,911 on Wednesday after dipping slightly in morning deals. Traders digested comments from President Trump, who said the U.S. was close to a trade deal with China and that he would meet President Xi before year-end if an agreement is reached. Investors also looked ahead to key Chinese economic data, including trade figures on Thursday and inflation on Saturday, amid concerns over rising trade barriers and persistent deflation risks. At the same time, markets braced for a possible new U.S. tariff announcement targeting semiconductors and chips, expected...
European markets started the new trading week on a positive note after recent global market uncertainty and volatility. The pan-European Stoxx 600 moved 0.2% higher shortly after the opening bell on Monday (3/10), with most sectors and all major bourses in positive territory. Germany's Dax and France's CAC 40 both rose around 0.4%. Regional markets closed in negative territory on Friday, ending a volatile week marked by indecisive policy on US tariffs, the latest interest rate cut from the European Central Bank, and key US jobs data showing nonfarm payrolls rose by less than expected by...
Japan stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Power, Rubber and Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic sectors led shares higher. At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 added 0.34%. The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Lasertec Corp (TYO:6920), which rose 9.98% or 1,380.00 points to trade at 15,210.00 at the close. Meanwhile, SMC Corp (TYO:6273) added 6.82% or 3,750.00 points to end at 58,750.00 and Oriental Land Co Ltd (TYO:4661) was up 5.54% or 172.00 points to 3,277.00 in late trade. The worst performers of the session were Mitsubishi Heavy...
Equities in Hong Kong slumped 321 points or 1.4% to 23,888 on Monday morning, extending losses from the prior period amid widespread sector declines. Traders reacted to fresh data from China over the weekend, which showed that consumer prices fell the most in 13 months in February, while producer deflation persisted for the 29th consecutive month despite a slower fall. Meanwhile, US futures plummeted, as tariffs on key trading partners, an uptick in jobless rates, and federal workforce job cuts fueled concerns about a potential slowdown in US GDP growth, following months of outperformance...
The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3% to around 3,990, while the broader Topix Index edged up 0.1% to 2,712 on Monday, recovering some losses from the previous session and mirroring Wall Street's gains from Friday. Investors remained cautious as they navigated US President Donald Trump's evolving trade policies and mounting concerns over the US economy. However, a strengthening yen, which surged to a five-month high on safe-haven demand, may limit further upside for Japanese equities. On the data front, Japan posted a current account deficit in January for the first time in two years, as imports...
Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Monday after a volatile trading week around the world. U.S. stocks — which are expected to open lower on Monday — have been on a roller-coaster ride since the start of the month given uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies — and their impact on the superpower's growth and inflation. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 surged 0.34%, after closing at a six-month high in its previous session. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 started the day flat while the broader Topix index edged down 0.1%. The country's cash earnings rose 2.8%...