The Nikkei 225 slipped 0.11% to close at 39,775, while the broader Topix Index edged up 0.06% to 2,836 on Tuesday, with Japanese markets struggling for direction as investors assessed the implications of the weekend's election. While the ruling coalition lost its majority in the upper house, the result was widely anticipated and had limited market impact. Reassuringly, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to remain in office, easing concerns over political instability or an abrupt resignation. Ishiba reaffirmed his intention to stay on, citing the need to oversee ongoing tariff...
Producer prices in Japan increased by 3.8% yoy in December 2024, keeping the same pace as in the previous month and aligning with market consensus. It was the 46th straight month of producer inflation, remaining at its highest level since June 2023, as cost continued to grow for transport equipment (1.7% vs 1.6% in November), beverages & foods (1.9% vs 2.1%), iron & steel (-0.1% vs -0.1%), electrical machinery (4.7% vs 4.1%), production machinery (1.8% vs 1.4%), general-purpose machinery (4.3% vs 4.3%), metal products (3.8% vs 4.0%), other manufacturing (3.6% vs 3.8%), plastics (3.6%...
U.S. stocks surged on Wednesday, with all three major indexes registering their biggest daily percentage gains in more than two months, as lower-than-expected December core inflation data and solid earnings from major U.S. banks fueled a rally. The Labor Department said the consumer price index (CPI) increased the most in nine months as energy costs rose, although a measure of underlying inflation pressures subsided. Data on Tuesday showed the producer price index (PPI) rose less than expected. According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 106.45 points, or 1.82%, to end at...
European markets closed higher on Wednesday as investors assessed cooler-than-expected inflation prints from the U.S. and U.K. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed 1.3% higher, snapping a three-day losing streak and clocking its best performance since August 2024. All sectors were in the green, led by retail stocks, which rose 2.7%. London's FTSE 100 gained 1.2% and U.K. government bond yields dropped sharply after official data showed U.K. inflation fell to 2.5% in December. Economists polled by Reuters had anticipated the reading would remain unchanged from the 2.6% print of November. The...
Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Wednesday, as data showed core inflation rose less than expected in December and investors cheered a strong batch of quarterly results from the biggest U.S. banks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 409.5 points, or 0.96%, at the open to 42,927.76. The S&P 500 rose 62.3 points, or 1.07%, at the open to 5,905.21, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 305.9 points, or 1.61%, to 19,350.313 at the opening bell. Source: Reuters
European stock markets rose on Wednesday (15/1), ahead of the release of highly influential monthly U.S. inflation data, after U.K. consumer prices showed signs of easing. At 3:05 a.m. ET (08:05 GMT), Germany's DAX index was up 0.3%, France's CAC 40 was up 0.3% and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 jumped 0.7%. Investors are awaiting the release of fresh U.S. consumer price data, later in the session, as it could potentially change expectations for future monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. Markets have pushed expectations for the Fed's next interest rate cut into June after an unexpectedly strong...