US stock indices were muted on Tuesday amid fresh labor market concerns and continued skepticism on whether AI valuations are warranted by fundamentals. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 inched lower, while the Dow was close to the flatline. Data from the ADP indicated an average of 11,250 jobs were lost per week through most of October, consolidating the wave of pessimistic labour reports released by other private sources. In the meantime, stocks with exposure to soaring AI capital expenditures remained under pressure from recent concerns of frothiness after SoftBank sold its entire $5.8...
The Hong Kong stock exchange plunged after a long holiday. The Hang Seng opened down 57 points (26,900), was hit by intense selling to 26,520, and closed down 380 points (-1.41%) at 26,577. The China Enterprise Index ended down 1.5% (9,429), while the Technology Index fell 1.94% (6,422). Tech led the decline: Tencent -1%, Alibaba -2.9%, Meituan -2%, Xiaomi -1%, JD.com -2.7%, Kuaishou -2.9%, and Baidu -5%. The financial sector also slumped: HSBC -1.3%, AIA -0.6%, Ping An -1.6%, and HKEX -1.3%. Main board turnover: HK$40.4 billion. Gold's rally to a new record fueled mixed performance among...
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 - The Nikkei index moved flat at 47,937.70, as gains in heavy industry and pharmaceutical stocks offset the decline in chip companies. The IHI rose 4.3% and Daiichi Sankyo strengthened 3.5%, while Tokyo Electron fell 1.6% and Advantest weakened 1.2%. The weaker yen also provided support to the market, as it typically benefits exporters. USD/JPY was at 152.25, up sharply from 150.69 at Tuesday's close, thus boosting sentiment for export-related sectors. Investors' focus is now on the details of potential policy steps Sanae Takaichi may take after being elected LDP...
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Wednesday, breaking ranks from Wall Street losses, after the World Bank raised the region's growth forecast Tuesday. That comes after a summer that saw U.S. tariff-led uncertainty rock the global economy. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 was little changed, while the the Topix added 0.62%. Australia's ASX/S&P 200 fell 0.3%. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 27,165, higher than its Tuesday close of 26,957.77. Mainland China and South Korean markets are closed for the holidays. The Bank of Thailand and Reserve Bank of New Zealand are set...
US stocks retreated from record highs on Tuesday as investors weighed the ongoing government shutdown against hopes for AI-driven growth. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% for the first time in 8 days, the Nasdaq lost 0.8%, and the Dow fell 99 points, pressured by a steep sell-off in Oracle shares after weaker-than-expected cloud margin reports. Tesla slipped 4.4% after unveiling a low-cost Model Y, Ford tumbled 7.6% over a supplier fire, and gold futures surged past $4,000 per ounce as investors sought safe havens. Economically sensitive sectors, including homebuilding, airlines, and transport,...
European stock markets edged mostly lower on Tuesday, as investors kept tabs on ongoing political turbulence in France and the United States that threatened to dampen enthusiasm around artificial intelligence dealmaking. The pan-European Stoxx 600 slipped by 0.2% and the Dax in Germany fell by 0.1%. The FTSE 100 in the United Kingdom and the CAC 40 in France were both mostly flat. The CAC 40 fell sharply on Monday on news of a surprise resignation of the country's new Prime Minister, Sebastien Lecornu. Two days of last-minute discussions between the outgoing Lecornu and members of several...