Page 2 - Asian Shares

Asian shares rise as markets weigh US capture of Venezuela's Prez Maduro

SINGAPORE, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Asian stocks opened higher and oil prices were choppy on Monday as investors looked past U.S. military action ‍over the weekend in Venezuela ​to prepare for a packed week of economic data releases in the first full trading week of the year. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was last up 0.3%, while S&P 500 e-mini futures were last 0.1% higher. Investors are assessing the repercussions of a dramatic weekend of events, which saw the U.S. capture Venezuelan President ​Nicolas Maduro. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was putting Venezuela under temporary American control. "The removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. is unlikely to have meaningful near-term economic consequences for the global economy," said Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics. "But its political and geopolitical ramifications will reverberate." WTI crude futures fluctuated between gains and losses and .

AI bubble concerns, policy splits cast shadow over Asian stocks in 2026

The investment frenzy over AI played a key role in driving Asian stocks' outperformance versus their global peers last year

Asian shares set for strongest annual jump in eight years on AI bets

Gold firmed a bit and is on track for a 66 per cent surge in 2025 as the three-year rally shows no signs of stopping

Asian shares pulled lower by tech, silver and gold steady after sell-off

On Tuesday, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.1 per cent but was set for an annual gain of 26.7 per cent, its best performance since 2017

Asian stocks advance as Fed rate cut bets push precious metals to records

Silver climbed above ‍the $80-per-ounce-mark for the first time before sliding sharply lower in ​volatile trading on Monday, while platinum and palladium also fell sharply after hitting all-time highs

US futures dip, Asian shares trade mixed; gold, silver hit record highs

US futures edged lower and Asian shares were mixed Friday, with Tokyo's Nikkei 225 trading near record high levels. The prices of gold and silver surged to records, extending their sharp gains for the year as investors including central banks have stocked up on the precious metals, which are viewed as safe havens in times of uncertainty. The price of gold gained 0.8% to 4,538.80 a troy ounce, while silver jumped 4.5% to $74.90 per ounce. Earlier surges in gold prices reflected worries during the US government shutdown. Expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates further in the new year, weakening the dollar against other currencies, have also fuelled buying of gold. Gold is doing what gold does when the world loses its anchor: it becomes the anchor, Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a recent report. For centuries, gold has been the one asset that doesn't blink. When politics goes sideways, when currencies fray, when inflation eats the furniture, gol

Asian shares mixed after US stocks drift higher to more record highs

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

Asian markets rise as S&P 500 hits record on strong US economic growth

Asian markets mostly advanced Wednesday after the benchmark S&P 500 closed at another record high following a report that the US economy grew at an unexpectedly strong 4.3 per cent annual rate in July to September. The US government's first estimate of growth for the third quarter showed inflation remained high, while a separate report said consumer confidence faded further in December. The US economy expanded at a 3.8 per cent annual pace in April-June. Trading in Asia was thin, with many global markets due to be closed on Thursday for Christmas. Markets in the US will end early on Wednesday for Christmas Eve and stay closed for Christmas. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was unchanged at 50,411.10, and South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.1 per cent to 4,113.83. In Chinese markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.2 per cent to 25,818.93. The Shanghai Composite index edged 0.2 per cent higher, to 3,929.25. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 20 slipped nearly 0.4 per cent to 8,762.70. Markets in Hong Kong ..

Asian shares extend tech-led rally, yen stays under pressure at record lows

Turnover was sparse in what is a holiday-shortened ​week for much of the world but the path of least resistance was higher ahead of delayed data

Asian markets rebound as tech lifts Wall Street, investors eye BOJ hike

Markets imply around a 90 per cent chance the BOJ will raise its rate a quarter point to 0.75 per cent later Friday, with much resting on the outlook for further tightening ahead

Asian shares follow Wall Street lower as AI worries drag tech stocks lower

Asian shares slipped further on Thursday after declines for AI stocks dragged the US market to its worst day in nearly a month. Traders are waiting for an update on US inflation, and on a decision Friday by Japan's central bank on interest rates. The Bank of Japan is expected to raise its key rate by 0.25 percentage point to tamp down price pressures, despite a contraction in the July-September quarter. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 lost 1.2 per cent to 48,929.95, with technology shares leading the decline. Computer chip maker Tokyo Electron lost 3.5 per cent while chip testing equipment maker Advantest dropped 4.1 per cent. Honda Motor Corp fell 2.9 per cent after reports said it was suspending production at some plants in Japan and China due to shortages of computer chips. South Korea's Kospi sank 1.8 per cent to 3,989.06, also pulled lower by selling of shares in electronics companies and automakers. LG Electronics declined 4.3 per cent, while Samsung Electronics lost 1.6 per cent. Chine

Asian shares mixed as Trump orders blockade of oil tankers to Venezuela

Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday, with strong buying of technology shares helping lift some benchmarks, while oil prices surged more than 1 per cent after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers into Venezuela. Trump's move followed the seizure by US forces last week of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast, an unusual move that followed a buildup of military forces in the region as his administration ramps up pressure on the country's authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro. US futures edged lower. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 shed 0.3 per cent to 49,237.58. Traders awaited a decision on an interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan later in the week. The government reported that the total value of machinery orders received by 280 manufacturers fell 6.8 per cent in October from the month before, in line with other signs of weakening factory activity. Chinese markets were marginally higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng picked up 0.2 per cent to 25,291.44, while the Shan

Asian shares slide after Wall Street posts its worst session in 3 weeks

Shares fell Monday in Asia as China reported investment fell in November in the latest signal that demand in the world's second largest economy remains weak. The retreat followed a dismal end to last week, when declines for superstar artificial-intelligence stocks knocked Wall Street off its record heights Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index shed 1.5% to 50,092.10, as investors wait to see if the Bank of Japan will raise its benchmark interest rate as expected this week. The BOJ's quarterly tankan survey of big manufacturers, released Monday, showed a slight improvement in sentiment among such businesses. The measure of those expressing optimism rose to 15 from 14 in the last quarter, the highest level in four years, the central bank said. The index shows the percentage of companies reporting positive conditions minus the percentage reporting unfavourable ones. While the overall survey showed improvement, forecasts for the next quarter were less positive. Japan's economy contracted at a 2.3%

Asian stocks rise higher cautiously as tech sector rattled by Oracle

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.7 per cent, tracking mostly higher US markets on Thursday - the Dow and Russell 2000 indices hit new highs but the Nasdaq fell

Asia stocks fall as US Fed meets, yen slides and silver hits record highs

With most assets frozen in the Fed headlights, attention was grabbed by a sudden slide in the Japanese yen and the continued dizzy ascent of silver prices, which both hit record peaks

Asian stocks slip as investors await US rate cut, yen steadies after quake

The RBA, SNB and Bank of Canada are all expected to hold rates steady this week, while the Federal Reserve is widely expected to lower borrowing costs on Wednesday.

Asian shares wobble as investors await Fed decision amid policy divide

Markets imply around an 85 per cent chance of a quarter-point reduction in the 3.75 per cent to 4.0 per cent funds rate, so a steady decision would be a seismic shock

Asia markets mixed as weak US data fuels bets on imminent Fed rate cut

The Nikkei 225 rose 0.8 per cent, while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was trading down 0.1 per cent, weighed down by declines in Korea and New Zealand

Asian shares mixed as steady bond yields, bitcoin rebound lift US stocks

Asian shares were mixed Wednesday after stocks on Wall Street held steadier as both bond yields and bitcoin stabilised. US futures rose and oil prices edged higher. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.6% to 50,063.65 on big gains for technology shares like Tokyo Electron, which jumped 5.6%. Adventest, a maker of computer chip testing equipment, surged 6.9%. Technology and telecoms giant SoftBank Group Corp. surged more than 8% following reports that its founder, Masayoshi Son, regretted having to sell shares in computer chip maker Nvidia to help pay for other investments. The company's share price sank after it announced last month that it had sold the shares for $5.8 billion. South Korea's Kospi also got a lift from tech shares, gaining 1.2% to 4,042.40. Shares in Samsung Electronics, the country's biggest company, rose 1.8%. But Chinese markets declined following the release of data showing weaker factory activity. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.1% to 25,797.24, while the Shanghai Compo

Asian shares rise as US stocks dip, tech and financials lead gains

Asian shares mostly advanced on Tuesday after US stocks gave back some of last week's rally, pressured by rising global bond yields. US futures and oil prices were little changed. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 gained 0.5% to 49,534.36, with financial shares the biggest gainers after the governor of the central bank hinted at a possible hike to interest rates this month. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng jumped 0.7% to 26,209.07, while the Shanghai Composite index slipped 0.3% to 3,902.78. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2% to 8,582.80. The Kospi in South Korea jumped 1.5% to 3,977.85, led by buying of technology shares like Samsung Electronics, which surged 2.8%. Chip maker SK Hynix leaped 3.4%. Taiwan's benchmark Taiex climbed 1%, while the Sensex in India edged 0.1% lower. On Monday, the S&P 500 slipped 0.5% and broke a five-day winning streak, closing at 6,812.63. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.9% to 47,289.33, while the Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4% to 23,275.92. Last week's ...