US stocks moved lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 down 1% and the Nasdaq falling 1.6%, both hitting one-month lows, while the Dow Jones dropped about 400 points. The tech sector remained under heavy pressure as investors grew increasingly concerned about stretched valuations in AI-related stocks and the risk of a bubble. Concerns also mounted that the Fed may hesitate to cut rates next month, after several policymakers expressed skepticism about the need for another reduction. Market odds of a 25 bps cut in December have fallen to just below 50%, down from nearly 65% earlier in the...
European shares ended higher on Wednesday, stabilising as investors assessed fiscal challenges after a selloff in longer-dated bonds had sparked risk-off sentiment in the previous session. The continent-wide STOXX 600 index closed 0.65% higher at 546.72 points, boosted by healthcare stocks such as Roche Holdings and AstraZeneca. Basic resources also extended support by rising 1.5%, influenced by a jump in copper prices on growing expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut later in the month. The day's moves follow the STOXX 600's biggest one-day loss in a month on Tuesday, driven by a...
A rally in the world's largest tech companies drove stocks higher as bonds rebounded after weak jobs data validated wagers the Federal Reserve will resume cutting rates in September. Equities extended gains and bond yields fell after data showed US job openings fell in July to the lowest in 10 months, reinforcing bets on at least two Fed reductions in 2025. Following a two-day slide, the S&P 500 also gained amid a court victory for Big Tech that saw Alphabet Inc. surging 8% as Google dodged a sale of its Chrome web...
The Hang Seng Index fell 153 points, or 0.6%, to close at 25,343 on Wednesday (September 3), weakening for a second day as global equities weakened on growing concerns over fiscal pressures worldwide. Meanwhile, Dow Jones futures were seen weakening, pressured by a sixth consecutive monthly decline in the US manufacturing sector. Adding to the uncertainty, a divided US appeals court ruled most of President Trump's tariffs illegal, though the measures will remain in place until October 14 pending a possible appeal to the Supreme Court. All sectors traded in the red after a military parade in...
European stocks traded higher on Wednesday, with the STOXX 50 up 0.7% and the STOXX 600 gaining 0.4%, rebounding after a 1.4% drop in the previous session. On Tuesday, equities retreated as concerns over debt sustainability in major economies pushed bond yields sharply higher, with the UK market under the greatest strain. Large-cap stocks mostly advanced, led by SAP (+1.6%), LVMH (+1.5%), ASML Holding (+2.1%), Hermès International (+0.5%) and Novartis (+0.5%). In contrast, Swiss Life fell about 2% after reporting a weaker first-half net profit, while M&G slipped 2.5% after posting a...
The Nikkei 225 Index dropped 0.88% to 41,939 while the broader Topix Index slid 1.07% to 3,049 on Wednesday, reversing prior gains and tracking Wall Street's losses. US stocks tumbled overnight as rising global bond yields, persistent economic uncertainty and renewed trade tensions pressured sentiment. Domestically, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda reaffirmed Wednesday that the bank's stance on rate hikes remains unchanged if growth and inflation evolve as expected. Investors now look to upcoming Japanese wage data later this week for guidance on the policy path. Index heavyweights led...