The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand was up a seasonally adjusted 0.5 percent on quarter in the first three months of 2024, Statistics New Zealand said on Thursday. That beat forecasts for a decline of 0.3 percent following the 1.9 percent contraction in the three months prior. By industry, the largest movements...
The South Korea stock market has moved lower in two straight sessions, slipping almost 20 points or 0.7 percent along the way. The KOSPI now sits just beneath the 2,725-point plateau and it may extend its losing streak on Thursday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is negative on a dimming outlook for interest...
The manufacturing sector in Australia continued to contract in May, and at a steady pace, the latest survey from Judo Bank revealed on Thursday with a manufacturing PMI score of 49.6. That\'s unchanged from the April reading, and it remains beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Production levels fell for...
Ahead of Wednesday\'s holiday for Wesak Day, the Malaysia stock market had ended the three-day winning streak in which it had advanced almost 25 points or 1.7 percent. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just above the 1,620-point plateau and it may take further damage on Thursday. The global forecast for the Asian markets...
Asian stocks ended Thursday\'s session mixed as rate worries lingered and China announced immediate military drills around Taiwan, marking a concerning escalation in the tensions between Taiwan and China, which has long claimed sovereignty over the island. Hawkish minutes from the Federal Reserve\'s last policy meeting boosted the dollar, which hovered near a one-week high...
German stocks held steady on Thursday after the release of encouraging private sector PMI numbers. The manufacturing sector\'s pace of contraction slowed in May and the services sector outperformed, helping underpin sentiment. The HCOB Manufacturing PMI improved to 45.4 from April\'s 42.5 while the Services PMI rose from 53.2 to 53.9. The benchmark DAX was...
French stocks were little changed on Thursday as a survey showed France\'s private sector unexpectedly contracted in May after returning to growth in the previous month. The headline HCOB flash composite output index dropped to 49.1 in May from 50.5 in April. The reading was forecast to climb to 51.0. The reduction in overall activity...
U.K. stocks were subdued on Thursday after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election for July 4. Investors were also reacting to the results of a survey, which showed that growth across British businesses cooled noticeably this month. The benchmark FTSE 100 was down 8 points at 8,362 after falling 0.6 percent on Wednesday....
European stocks were mostly higher on Thursday after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election for July 4 and a survey showed business activity in the euro zone accelerated in May. The HCOB Flash Eurozone purchasing managers\' index (PMI) published by S&P Global improved to 52.3 from 51.7 in April. That was the...
European stocks pared early gains and ended on a mixed note on Thursday as investors continued to assess the likely moves of central banks with regard to interest rates in the wake of recent economic data, and the minutes of the Federal Reserve\'s latest monetary policy meeting released on Wednesday. The minutes of the Federal...