Market News

Asia-Pacific stocks fell for the fourth day, with the benchmark index heading for a three-week low, after the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index retreated from a record and as consumer shares slipped.

The Pound Sterling did a nose dive earlier, hitting a 13-month low during Monday’s trading session after the results of a recently conducted opinion poll showed that Scotland’s residents were was prepared to secede from the United Kingdom after a 300 year union.

Asia’s benchmark stock index swung between gains and losses as investors weighed data showing Chinese exports rose more than analysts projected last month, while imports unexpectedly fell.

Asian stocks were mixed on Friday following the European Central Bank's surprise rate cut overnight and amid caution ahead of a key U.S. jobs report.

The European Central Bank announced an across the board interest rate cut of 0.10% (or 10 basis points) to become effective on September 10th; that announcement took markets by surprise as analysts had believed that the ECB would leave interest rates unchanged at this time.

Equity worldwide rose on Wednesday with the S&P 500 hitting a record high on hopes that a resolution will be reached between Ukraine and Russia. The euro rebounded from a 1-year low against the dollar on expectations for more European Central Bank stimulus.

News that a possible “permanent” ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is currently being negotiated has helped to lift the common currency Euro out of its recent doldrums; however, currency analysts have pointed out that there are conflicting reports which could tend to limit any additional gains.

Asian shares shrugged off early losses on Wednesday, as the yen touched an almost eight-month low and bonds in the region tracked Treasuries lower amid signs of strength in the U.S. economy.

The pressure on the Euro appears relentless as speculation that the ECB is prepared to ease further continues to grow with the result that the Euro has now fallen to a new 1-year trough versus the U.S. Dollar.

Asian shares slipped on Tuesday while the euro hit a fresh one-year low on uncertainty over the European Central Bank's policy decision later this week.

Asian shares edged higher on Monday, with investors wary of a deepening crisis in Ukraine and a downbeat China manufacturing survey; the euro touched a fresh one-year low ahead of this week's European Central Bank meeting.

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index headed for its first monthly decline since April, led by materials and consumer shares. Friday’s slump followed flaring Ukraine tensions which spoiled investor risk appetite and bolstered the safe-haven yen.

Ahead of today’s release of Germany CPI data and tomorrow’s inflation report for the Eurozone, the common currency managed to hold onto some modest gains against the greenback but investors multi-pronged concerns pushed the Euro lower.

Asian stocks crept up on Thursday following another steady performance by Wall Street shares which hovered near record highs, while the euro clung to modest gains after rebounding from 13-month lows.

Though Mario Draghi has been adding fuel to existing speculation that the ECB could shift to an even more accommodative stance, the Finance Minister of Germany, Wolfgang Schaeuble, has been downplaying just such a possibility, dismissing the ECB chief’s comments at the Jackson Hole central bankers’ symposium as “over-interpreted” by analysts.