Stocks rose on Thursday as Wall Street weighed the latest inflation data, which came in lighter-than-expected.The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 339 points, or 0.8%. The S&P 500 popped 1.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.5%. Micron Technology jumped 13% after the semiconductor play topped Wall Street estimates on the top and bottom lines for the fiscal first quarter and offered a strong revenue forecast for the current period. Micron helped rekindle the artificial intelligence trade, which has seen weakness in recent sessions. The delayed November consumer price index...
The Hang Seng Index rose 29 points, or 0.1%, to close at 25,498 on Thursday (December 18), reversing early losses, led by gains primarily from the financial sector. Sentiment improved as mainland Chinese stocks extended gains, with traders shifting to defensive sectors amid concerns over global AI spending and regional tensions. Investors welcomed data showing China's youth unemployment rate fell to a five-month low of 16.9% in November, signaling a tentative stabilization in the labor market. Meanwhile, China's fiscal revenue grew 0.8% year-on-year in the first 11 months, matching the...
European markets opened today, Thursday, December 18, 2025, with a cautious attitude. Investors await the latest move from the European Central Bank (ECB), which is expected to hold interest rates. Inflation in the eurozone has begun to stabilize, so the ECB has chosen not to rush into policy changes to maintain economic stability. The latest inflation data shows that price pressures have not increased sharply. This signals that economic conditions are still under control, although growth is not yet fully robust. This situation has led market participants to choose to wait before making...
The Nikkei 225 closed down 1.03% to 49,001.5 on Thursday (December 18, 2025), marking its lowest close in about three weeks. The broader Topix index also weakened 0.37% to 3,356.89. The main pressure came from heavily weighted technology stocks, as the market reassessed the prospects for AI and data center businesses—whether massive spending in these sectors would truly yield quick returns. This negative sentiment was also carried over from Wall Street, which also recently weakened, leading investors to reduce risk. From a fundamental perspective, market players are now holding back due to...
Hong Kong stocks fell 53 points, or 0.2%, to 25,416 in Thursday morning trading, reversing the previous session's gains after Wall Street closed significantly lower overnight due to lingering concerns over AI valuations and caution ahead of November inflation data. Caution is also growing ahead of policy meetings by several central banks in Europe and Asia scheduled for today and Friday. Meanwhile, mainland Chinese stocks were sluggish after Wednesday's rally, with investors awaiting China's foreign direct investment figures for the first 11 months, expected to be released today. From...