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...
Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed Friday as investors assessed inflation data from Japan, while the threat of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs dents investor sentiment. Japan's Nikkei 225 slipped 0.43%, while the Topix declined 0.33%. Japan's inflation rate in January climbed to 4%, hitting its highest level since January 2023. Core inflation — which excludes prices of fresh food — rose to 3.2%, beating Reuters' expectations of 3.1%.South Korea's Kospi traded 0.42% lower while the small-cap Kosdaq added 0.43%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 2.25%, while the Hang Seng Tech index added...
(Hong Kong) The Hang Seng Index has opened with a notable increase of 513 points, or 2.27%, reaching 23,090 points. Meanwhile, the National Enterprises Index rose by 203 points, equivalent to 2.45%, settling at 8,526 points. The Technology Index also saw significant gains, climbing 184 points, or 3.36%, to 5,684 points.Leading the charge were technology stocks, with Alibaba experiencing a remarkable surge of 10% after its earnings report. Tencent rose by 3.7%, Meituan by 1.2%, Xiaomi Group by 1.8%, JD.com by 4.5%, Kuaishou by 4.5%, and Bilibili saw an impressive increase of 9.4%.In the...
The Nikkei 225 Index dropped 0.5% to below 38,500, while the broader Topix Index fell 0.3% to 2,726 on Friday, marking a third consecutive session of declines. The pullback came as hotter-than-expected inflation figures reinforced a hawkish outlook for Bank of Japan monetary policy. Data revealed that core inflation in Japan accelerated to 3.2% in January, up from 3% in December, surpassing forecasts of 3.1%. Headline inflation also rose to 4% from 3.6%, hitting a two-year high. The benchmark indexes were further pressured this week by US President Donald Trump's tariff threats and hawkish...
US stocks slumped on Thursday after Walmart's disappointing outlook raised concerns about economic growth. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 retreated from record highs, down 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 450 points, weighing on Walmart's shares. Despite beating earnings expectations, Walmart's cautious fiscal 2026 guidance sent its shares down 6.5%, dragging down other retailers such as Target (-2%) and Costco (-2.6%). Investor sentiment was further dampened as Palantir slumped 5.3% amid reports of impending Pentagon budget cuts and its CEO's...
European stocks closed mostly lower on Thursday, pressured by a mix of corporate earnings reports as markets continued to assess the impact of potential U.S. trade barriers and higher defense spending by EU members. The euro zone STOXX 50 closed flat at 5,453, maintaining yesterday's decline from Monday's record high, while the STOXX 600 edged down 0.2% to 551. Airbus fell 2.3% after posting downbeat results and hinting it may have to delay U.S. deliveries to focus on other customers if the U.S. government follows through on tariffs. Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, reported a 40% drop in its car...