The Nikkei 225 Index traded flat to close around 50,412 on Tuesday, following a two-session winning streak, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the government's finalization of the fiscal 2026 draft budget on Friday. The upcoming budget is projected to exceed ¥122 trillion ($781 billion), marking a record high and requiring bond issuance above last year's ¥28.6 trillion. This would come on top of a ¥21.3 trillion stimulus package funded through a supplementary budget for the current fiscal year, aimed at alleviating households from the effects of rising living costs. Notable...
European stocks opened the week on a cautious note, with both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovering near the flatline as investors closely monitor ongoing trade developments and digest a fresh wave of corporate earnings. No breakthrough has yet been achieved in the trade negotiations between the EU and the US. While talks are still underway, reports indicate that the EU is preparing retaliatory measures should an agreement fail to materialize before the US imposes a 30% tariff on European imports from August 1st. On the corporate front, Stellantis shares fell nearly 1.7% after the automaker...
Equities in Hong Kong rose 96 points or 0.4% to 24,9 on Monday morning deals, extending gains from the previous session as traders reacted to the PBoC's decision to keep its one-year and five-year loan prime rates at record lows, in line with expectations. The Hang Seng index reached its highest level since early 2022, lifted by broad-based sector gains and a modest uptick in U.S. futures amid optimism over global trade. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed confidence on Sunday that a deal with the EU could be reached before the August 1 deadline, though talks may continue...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday, as investors keep a close watch on the People's Bank of China's decision on its 1-year and 5-year loan prime rates for July, as well as the latest developments on the trade front. Trade came into focus once again over the weekend as the White House reiterated its position on tariffs. On Sunday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick called Aug. 1 the "hard deadline" for countries to start paying tariffs, though he also added that "nothing stops countries from talking to us after August 1." South Korean markets started the day higher Monday. As of...
Stocks in the US closed near the flatline on Friday as investors weighed President Trump's push for higher tariffs on the European Union against strong economic data and corporate earnings. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 finished mostly muted near their records, while the Dow Jones dropped 142 points, pressured by a 2.2% decline in American Express shares. Trump reportedly demands a minimum 15-20% tariff in any deal with the EU, which is working to finalize an agreement before his August 1 deadline. On the corporate front, Netflix shares fell 5.1% despite beating revenue and earnings...
The S&P 500 briefly touched an all-time high before hovering flat in the afternoon session, while the Nasdaq dipped 0.2% as investors weighed strong economic data against latest batch of corporate earnings. The Dow Jones, on the other hand was down over 200 points, dragged down by a nearly 3% slide in American Express shares. Meanwhile, Netflix shares slipped 4.8%, despite the company beating expectations on both revenue and earnings per share. Conversely, Charles Schwab added 2.1% after upbeat earnings and revenue and Chevron was up 1.5% as the company completed the $53 billion Hess...