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 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 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
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%
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
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.
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
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 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 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 ...
US stock futures, though, were lower in Asian hours, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose over 1 per cent pushing Asian stocks higher
November this year proved to be unusually choppy for global equities as concerns about tech stocks' sky-high valuations shook markets while a US government shutdown ended only after a record 43 days
Asian shares rose on Thursday, taking their cue from Wall Street, where a winning streak extended to a fourth straight day. US futures were nearly unchanged while oil prices declined. Japan's Nikkei 225 added 1 per cent to 50,069.33 as investors bet that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its December 10 meeting. The Japanese government also reportedly plans to issue 11 trillion yen (USD 70.5 billion) in new bonds to fund its economic package. Tech-related stocks advanced, with SoftBank Group jumping 2.8 per cent and Kioxia Holdings up 5.7 per cent following a nearly 15 per cent rout the day before. In Chinese markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index picked up 0.3 per cent to 25,927.96, while the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.1 per cent higher, to 3,883.01. Gains were tempered by data that showed profits for the first ten months of 2025 at major Chinese industrial firms rose a lackluster 1.9 per cent year-on-year, down from 3.2 per cent growth in the previous period. I
SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, chasing gains on Wall Street as weaker-than-expected economic data spurred expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its policy meeting next month. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 1%, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with mild gains. Japan's Nikkei stock index tacked on 1.8%, while U.S. stock futures edged up 0.2%. U.S. stocks reclaimed lost ground after a selloff earlier this month, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rising for a third consecutive day on Tuesday after data showed retail sales rose less than expected and consumer confidence weakened, firming up expectations that the Fed will ease policy soon. "There was a sea of green across major equity markets with futures pointing to a solid start to today's session in the local market," analysts from Westpac wrote in a research report.
Despite the dollar's slight weakness this week, the Japanese yen has remained fragile, trading at 156.95 per dollar in early Asian hours, not far from the 10-month low of 157.90 it touched last week
Japan's Nikkei tumbled 2 per cent on Friday, Australia's resources-heavy shares slid 1.4 per cent, while South Korea plunged almost 4 per cent
S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures teetered around flat in the Asia morning. Japan's Nikkei made an unsteady 0.4 per cent gain and South Korea's Kospi fell 0.8 per cent
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 1.8 per cent to its lowest level since mid-October
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 ...
The hype over the sharp-fanged monster dolls is about to peak, and doubts about the next sales driver for owner Pop Mart International Group Ltd. suggest its shares have limited upside