European stocks posted slight declines on Monday (July 21st) as markets continued to assess the trade outlook in the European Union. The Eurozone STOXX 50 fell 0.3% to close at 5,342, and the pan-European STOXX 600 fell 0.1% to 546. US officials maintained the threat of 30% tariffs on EU exports while the EU Commission continued to negotiate lower tariffs ahead of the August 1st deadline. Meanwhile, the EU also signaled that aggressive retaliation would be pursued if no deal was reached, risking escalation and higher prices in the bloc. Shares of luxury goods giants led the decline in the...
The Hang Seng rose 137 points, or 0.7%, to close at 19,760 on Friday after plunging more than 2% in the previous session, boosted by gains in most sectors, including consumer, technology and property. The prospect of a rate cut from the People's Bank of China this year supported sentiment. In addition, traders welcomed the second round of a CNY55 billion swap facility operation by the Chinese central bank to support the country's stock market. Separately, China's top planning agency announced an expansion of consumer subsidies to cover smartphones and other electronics, aimed at boosting...
European markets were slightly lower as trading began on Friday after a rocky start to 2025 for stocks around the world. The pan-European Stoxx 600 fell 0.08% shortly after the market opened, with most sectors in negative territory. Mining stocks led the losses, down 0.86%, while financial services stocks rose 0.54% after a day in the red on Thursday. France's CAC 40 was last down 0.45%, while Germany's DAX fell 0.15%. Britain's FTSE 100 traded around the flatline. The Stoxx 600 closed higher on Thursday after a volatile first trading session of the year. Investors weighed regional and...
The Hong Kong stock market climbed 248 points or 1.2% to 19,838 in Friday morning trade, partly recovering from a slump of around 2% in the prior session, with gains across most sectors, particularly tech, consumers, and property. However, markets are on track to post a weekly decline, down around 1% so far, due to looming tariff threats from the incoming US administration under Donald Trump. Meanwhile, local data showed that retail sales in Hong Kong fell for the ninth consecutive month in November, shrinking by 8.3% yoy and deepening from October's 4.8% decline. Source : Trading Economics
European markets shifted higher Thursday afternoon, following a mixed start to 2025 trading. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index reversed earlier losses to trade 0.5% higher by 3:50 p.m. London time, as regional bourses reopened after the New Year's Day holiday. Oil and gas stocks led gains, rising 2.3%, while utilities also climbed 1.6%. Banking stocks and autos dipped, however, losing 0.46% and 0.69% respectively, as uncertainty remained over the economic outlook and potential tariffs under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. France's CAC 40 also reversed early losses to gain 0.18%, though...
European markets started 2025 on a cautious note, with the Stoxx 50 down 0.4% and the Stoxx 600 almost flat on Thursday. Gains in oil, gas and mining stocks, up 1.5% and 1.3% respectively, were offset by declines in banking (-0.1%) and media (-0.3%). After solid performances in 2024—up 8.3% for the Stoxx 50 and 6% for the Stoxx 600—investors are now looking for fresh drivers amid ongoing concerns over U.S. tariffs and European political instability. In economic news, Spanish factory activity picked up in December 2024, with the Spanish HCOB Manufacturing PMI rising to 53.3 from 53.1 in...