Explore Business Standard
Asian shares were mixed Thursday in thin holiday trading, with most markets in the region and elsewhere closed for Christmas. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 lost less than 0.1% to 50,317.43. It has gained nearly 30% this year. The dollar slipped to 155.70 Japanese yen from 155.94 yen. The euro was unchanged at $1.1780. Markets in mainland China advanced, with the Shanghai Composite index up 0.3%. Hong Kong's exchange was closed. Investors were encouraged by a statement by the People's Bank of China, China's central bank, promising to ensure adequate money supply to support financing, economic growth and inflation targets. Earlier in the week, the PBOC had opted to keep its key short-term lending rates unchanged. Shares fell in Thailand and Indonesia. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 index rose 0.3% to 6,932.05 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.6% to close at 48,731.16. The Nasdaq composite added 0.2% to 23,613.31 Trading was extremely light as markets closed early for Christmas Ev
Shares were mostly lower in Asia on Monday while US futures advanced after Wall Street's lackluster finish to last week. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 0.3% to 50,226.67 after the government reported that the Japanese economy contracted at a 1.8% annual pace in the July-September quarter. The dollar rose against the Japanese yen, climbing to 154.65 yen from 154.58 yen. Chinese markets also slipped, as Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 0.8% to 26,359.22. The Shanghai Composite index declined 0.4% to 3,973.31. Geopolitical tensions have also hurt sentiment in East Asia, as relations between China and Japan have deteriorated due to a spat following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion that a Chinese move against self-governing Taiwan could prompt a Japanese military response. China objects to other countries' involvement in Taiwan, which Beijing claims it as its own and destined to come under its control. The Chinese government has warned its citizens not to travel to Japan or study ...
Shares were mostly lower in Asia on Wednesday after US stocks sank to their first loss in eight days, losing momentum after the price of gold topped $4,000 per ounce for the first time. The price of gold was up $25.40 at $4,029.60 an ounce. US futures and oil prices also advanced. The Japanese yen fell sharply against the dollar on expectations that Sanae Takaichi, the conservative lawmaker likely to become the next prime minister, will push to keep interest rates low. The dollar rose to 152.53 yen from 151.90 yen, while the euro slipped to $1.1621 from $1.1659. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 edged 0.1% higher to 48,002.18. Takaichi, who the ruling Liberal Democrats chose as their leader last weekend, is expected to increase spending and to advocate for easier credit, possibly slowing efforts by the Bank of Japan to raise its key interest rate. It has remained near zero for years, even as inflation has exceeded its target of about 2%, outpacing wage increases. While the economic c