The Nikkei 225 index closed higher on Friday, December 19, 2025, rising by around 1.16% to 49,568. This gain attracted attention because it occurred amidst news of a Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike, which typically depresses the stock market. The key factor: although the BOJ raised interest rates 25 bps to 0.75%, its policy tone remained cautious and gradual, so the market assessed that further increases would not be aggressive. This meant that investors felt the risk of a "painful" tightening for the economy was not yet too great. Furthermore, the yen's weakening following the...
US stocks rallied at the start of the holiday-shortened week, with the S&P 500 rising 1.6%, the Nasdaq surging 2.6%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising more than 300 points as investors grew more confident that the Fed would soon ease policy. New York Fed President John Williams hinted at room for an interest rate cut in the near future, and Fed Governor Christopher Waller said recent labor market weakness makes a December rate cut plausible. According to CME FedWatch, futures markets currently have a roughly 79% probability of a 25-bps rate cut at the December 9-10 meeting....
European stocks recovered in afternoon trading and closed slightly higher on Monday (November 24th), paring losses from the previous week thanks to renewed dovish signals from key FOMC members. The Eurozone STOXX 50 rose 0.4% to 5,540, and the pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.3% to 564. Technology stocks traded in the bloc closed sharply higher, following sentiment in US stocks that indicated a slight respite from last week's sell-off. Risk-sensitive sectors also benefited from Fed Chairman Waller's support for an interest rate cut next month. ASML rose 3% and Infineon jumped 3.5%, while...
European shares ended higher on Monday, boosted by technology-focused stocks as risk sentiment improved on growing expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut next month, while investors also focused on progress in the Ukraine peace plan. The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.31% to 563.83 points at close after the index logged its steepest weekly drop since late July on Friday. The upbeat momentum was led by Wall Street following dovish comments from U.S. Federal Reserve policymaker John Williams on Friday, signalling that interest rates could fall "in the near term". This bolstered the...
US stocks traded higher on Monday as markets kicked off a holiday-shortened Thanksgiving week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7%, Nasdaq gained 1.2%, and the Dow Jones advanced 120 points, with traders increasing bets on a Fed rate cut next month, following comments from the head of the NY Fed last Friday. The odd for a 25bps reduction in the fed funds rate currently stand at around 65%. Investors are also bracing for a busy week of economic data, including retail sales, durable goods orders, and PPI figures. Communication services and consumer discretionary were by far the top performers while...
European stocks rose Monday, starting the new week on a positive note given renewed optimism that the U.S. Federal Reserve can cut interest rates next month. Fed rate cut hopes boost sentiment European stock markets have followed the gains seen in Asia earlier Monday, boosted by comments from influential Federal Reserve policymaker John Williams who said at the end of last week that U.S. interest rates can fall "in the near term". The Fed's next meeting will take place on Dec. 9-10 and markets are currently pricing in a 69.3% chance of a quarter-percentage-point cut, according to the CME...