US stocks were little changed on Tuesday, with the three major indexes hovering around the flatline as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a potential government shutdown that could disrupt the release of key labor data later this week. The government faces the risk of shutting down tomorrow if Democrats and Republicans fail to reach a deal today, putting Friday's payrolls report at risk. Traders also awaited the JOLTS job openings data due later in the day. Energy and communication services were the worst performing sectors while utilities outperformed. Microsoft (-0.6%), Amazon...
Wall Street's main indexes advanced on Thursday, lifted by hopes that technology giants might dodge President Donald Trump's newest tariffs on chip imports. Apple's (AAPL.O), opens new tab shares climbed 2.4%, having risen 5.1% and led gains on Wall Street in the prior session, after Trump said the iPhone maker will invest an additional $100 billion in the U.S., bringing its total commitment to $600 billion over the next four years. Trump also announced a tariff of about 100% on imports of semiconductors but said it would not apply to companies that are manufacturing in the U.S. or have...
The Hang Seng rose 171 points or 0.7% to close at 25,082 on Wednesday, reversing early losses as all sectors ended in the green. It was the fourth session of gains, helped by upbeat Chinese trade data. Exports accelerated in July due to front-loaded shipments, while imports saw the strongest growth in a year amid continued policy support from Beijing. Traders remained focused on the August 12 deadline, watching for progress in U.S.-China tariff negotiations. Tech shares posted modest gains despite Trump's remarks that the U.S. may impose 100% tariffs on certain chip imports—an outcome...
The STOXX 50 rose 0.5% on Thursday (August 7), marking its fourth consecutive session of gains, while the broader STOXX 500 edged up 0.1%. Market sentiment remained driven by corporate earnings and the implementation of President Trump's new tariffs. The US's "reciprocal" tariffs, which target nearly all major trading partners, took effect today, with the European Union now facing 15% tariffs. In corporate news, Maersk shares jumped more than 5% after the Danish shipping giant reported higher-than-expected second-quarter operating profit. Allianz rose 3.6% after its earnings beat estimates,...
Japan's Topix index jumped 0.72% to an all-time high of 2,988 on Thursday, while the Nikkei 225 gained 0.65% to 41,059, marking its third consecutive session of gains. The rally followed a strong performance on Wall Street overnight, driven by strong corporate earnings, as investors largely shrugged off new US tariff announcements. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, excluding companies building in the US, and doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% in response to continued Russian oil imports. The best-performing stocks included Fujikura (+5.3%), Sony...
Hong Kong stocks edged lower on Thursday morning, holding at around 24,906 and ending a three-session winning streak, driven primarily by technology and consumer stocks. Sentiment weakened after US President Trump announced a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, sparking concerns about a protracted trade war. Investors also grew cautious ahead of China's July trade data due later today, as Trump's unpredictable tariff policies have increased pressure on the Chinese economy. The losses were offset by a modest rise in US futures, amid reports that trading partners were rushing to finalize...