The Hang Seng climbed 233 points, or 0.9%, to close at 26,855 on Tuesday, reversing early losses to hit a two-week high on broad-based gains. The index jumped 7% in September, its fifth straight monthly advance, and posted a third quarterly gain of 11.6%, fueled by AI optimism, strong inflows, and bets of fresh policy support from Beijing ahead of the October plenum. Still, upside was capped by U.S. political uncertainty, with Vice President Vance warning the government was "headed to a shutdown" amid stalled budget talks. Profit-taking also weighed as traders braced for China's week-long...
The Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% to close at 40,795 on Wednesday (August 6th), while the broader Topix Index gained 1.02% to 2,967, marking a second straight day of gains for Japanese equities. Investors shrugged off weak gains on Wall Street, where stagflation concerns were rekindled by weak US economic data. The market also shrugged off new tariff threats from President Donald Trump, who warned of duties of up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports and potential levies on semiconductors. Domestically, data showed Japanese real wages fell for the sixth consecutive month in June, as inflation continued...
Hong Kong stocks fell 50 points, or 0.2%, to 24,851 in Wednesday morning trading, ending a two-day winning streak amid weakness in the technology, consumer discretionary, and financial sectors. Sentiment worsened after Wall Street closed lower overnight, as weak US data underscored the economic impact of tariffs on activity and earnings. Risk appetite was further dented by reports that two Chinese nationals were arrested in California for allegedly smuggling AI chips, including the Nvidia H100, to China. Caution also grew ahead of China's July trade data and inflation report, with lingering...
Japanese stocks opened lower on Wednesday (August 6th), following a decline in the US market after weak US services sector data sparked uncertainty over the Federal Reserve's policy direction. The Nikkei 225 index fell 119.08 points, or 0.3%, to 40,430.46 in early trading. Meanwhile, recent data showed Japanese workers recorded the fastest nominal wage growth in four months, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) may soon raise interest rates. Government data showed nominal wages rose 2.5% year-on-year in June, a sharp increase from a revised 1.4% in May. The market is also...
US equities ended lower on Tuesday as investors grappled with downbeat economic data, rising trade tensions, and mixed corporate earnings. The S&P 500 dropped 0.5%, the Nasdaq slid 0.7%, and the Dow slipped by 62 points, following Monday's sharp rebound from Friday's losses tied to a disappointing jobs report. Concerns about stagflation resurfaced after the ISM Services index showed activity had stalled in July. Meanwhile, President Trump's threats of steep tariffs up to 250% on pharmaceutical imports alongside potential levies on semiconductors, added to market unease amid ongoing...
European shares closed higher on Tuesday, buoyed by better-than-expected corporate earnings and renewed optimism that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next month. The pan-European STOXX 600 index edged up 0.15%, with most regional bourses also trading in the green. Earnings season, in full swing, offered some relief for investors concerned about the impact of trade uncertainty on corporate performance. Diageo gained 4.9% after the world's biggest spirits maker forecast flat 2026 sales despite U.S. tariffs and upped its cost-savings target. The stock boosted the food &...