The Japanese stock market opened lower in morning trading, as escalating diplomatic tensions between Japan and China made the market more cautious about the Japanese economy's future prospects. Selling pressure was most pronounced in the electronics and financial sectors, which were the main drivers of the index's decline. Some investors chose to reduce risk while awaiting clarity on developments in relations between the two countries. Among large stocks, Hitachi Ltd. fell around 1.5%, while Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group fell 1.6%. These movements added to the burden on the index as both...
Asian stock markets weakened for the second consecutive day, indicating that the initial rally that had been "speedy" at the start of the year is starting to lose steam. At the same time, US government bonds (Treasuries) maintained their gains after rising in the US trading session, driven by mixed US economic data. In Asia, Japanese and South Korean stocks opened lower. In the US, global stock indexes and the S&P 500 both recorded their first declines in 2026 on Wednesday, signaling that market optimism is starting to wane. Interestingly, Samsung fell 1.5% despite reportedly seeing a...
Hong Kong stocks tumbled 367 points, or 1.4%, to 26,094 in early Thursday trade, extending for a second session after Wall Street's S&P 500 and Dow Jones slipped from record highs overnight on uneven U.S. economic data. Profit-taking deepened after local markets hit an over seven-week high earlier in the week, amid growing caution ahead of China's December CPI and PPI due Friday. Geopolitical strains added pressure after Beijing banned exports of dual-use items to Japan, in retaliation for remarks on Taiwan by PM Sanae Takaichi. Losses were partly capped by Goldman Sachs's upbeat...
Japanese stocks closed lower on Thursday (January 8) after the latest data showed real wages fell in November 2025 at the fastest pace since January, mainly due to a drop in one-time bonus payments. Market sentiment was also depressed as the weakening wages emphasized household challenges amid persistently high price pressures. The Nikkei 225 Index fell 1.6%, or 844.72 points, to 51,117.26. This wage data shows that inflation continues to outpace income growth, adding to the complexity for the Bank of Japan, which plans to continue policy normalization and open up room for interest rate...