June 5, 2024 9:57 AM

Asian stocks rise on rate-cut wagers; spotlight on India

Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, while the dollar was steady as a softening U.S. labour market firmed up bets of an interest rate cut in September from the Federal Reserve ahead of a crucial payrolls report this week. Investor worries of a cooling U.S. economy, however, kept a lid on risk appetite, while the focus in Asia is on how Indian markets fare after stocks sank and the rupee slid on Tuesday following voting results that showed a slimmer-than-expected victory margin for Prime Mini...

May 21, 2024 10:55 AM

Global stocks inch lower, dollar firm as Fed focus intensifies; crypto soars

Asian stocks drifted lower while the dollar held firm on Tuesday as investors awaited minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting to gauge the timing and extent of possible interest rate cuts this year. Japan's tech-heavy Nikkei edged higher though, driven by chip shares after the Nasdaq hit a record high overnight ahead of Nvidia earnings due on Wednesday. Gold inched back towards Monday's all-time peak, while crude oil prices eased on worries of U.S. interest rates staying high fo...

May 20, 2024 12:44 PM

Global stocks, metals surge as rate cut expectations firm

Asian shares hit two-year highs while copper and gold struck records on Monday as investors wagered on interest rate cuts around the corner and China stepping up efforts to steady its ailing property sector. Brent crude futures rose to a one-week high of $84.25 a barrel after a helicopter crash killed Iran's president and Saudi Arabian state news flagged a health issue for the king, threatening fresh instability in the Middle East. Gold climbed more than 1% to $2,449.89 and copper futures ...

May 10, 2024 2:01 PM

Asia stocks rally on renewed global rate cut optimism

Asian stocks rose on Friday, on course for a third week of gains, while the dollar was steady as fresh signs of an easing U.S. labour market stoked optimism around interest rate cuts this year ahead of next week's crucial inflation data. Sterling was steady at $1.2515, having touched a more than two-week low of $1.2446 on Thursday after Bank of England (BoE) paved the way for the start of rate cuts as soon as next month. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.66% a...

May 3, 2024 10:45 AM

Asian stocks surge on tech boost; yen extends gains to cap wild week

Asian stocks rallied on Friday after Apple's record $110 billion share buyback plan lifted the tech sector, while the yen put more distance from recent 34-year lows to cap a tumultuous week that saw suspected interventions from Tokyo. With markets in Japan and mainland China closed on Friday, regional trading activity is likely to be subdued as traders look ahead to the U.S. nonfarm payrolls data later in the day. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.5% and was set...

April 18, 2024 1:34 PM

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks bounce as soaring dollar pauses

Asian stocks made their biggest gains in a month on Thursday, while the dollar took a breather and bond markets steadied as investors stepped back to assess the interest rate outlook. Oil found support following its sharpest fall in two-and-a-half months on demand worries and the lack, so far, of an obvious Israeli or U.S. response to Iran's weekend attack on Israel. Analysts do not expect dramatic new sanctions on oil from Iran, which comprises about 3% of global output. MSCI's broadest inde...