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Exchange-Traded Funds Rise as US Equities Advance After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV were higher. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 3%.US equity indexes rose as earnings helped boost technology while a slide in crude oil and government bond yields reflected confidence that Iran is nearing a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each lost 0.2%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) gained 4.9%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) rose 3.9%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) added 4.1%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was up 6.2%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) jumped 6.8%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 1%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 3%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 2.9%.CommoditiesCrude oil declined 5.2%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) fell 4.9%. Natural gas shed 3.7%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) eased 3.5%.Gold on Comex added 1.4%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) rose 1.2%. Silver gained 3.8%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was up 3.3%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) rose fractionally. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) slipped less than 0.1%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) rose 0.1%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) rose fractionally. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) dipped 0.2%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) gained 1.2%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) declined 0.1%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) fell fractionally, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) added 0.1%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was up 1.6%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) rose 1.6%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) added 0.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) rose 0.4%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was down 0.2%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 1.4% higher.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH

Asia Markets3d ago

European Stocks Close Higher Tuesday on Earnings Strength, Hormuz Talks

European stock markets closed higher Tuesday as investors assess mostly solid earnings and look for signs of progress in talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.7%, Germany's DAX 40 advanced 0.8%, the FTSE 100 gained 0.2%, and France's CAC 40 and the Swiss Market Index each gained 0.6%.The US and Iran may reach a deal Tuesday or Wednesday to reopen the Strait of Hormuz for commercial ships, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.In corporate news, Rio Tinto is unlikely to revisit merger talks with Glencore soon with the six-month standstill on negotiations set to expire Tuesday, Reuters reported.Shares of Rio Tinto rose 3.4% in London, and Glencore gained 2.5%.BP reported Q2 underlying replacement-cost profit of $2.22 per diluted American depositary share, up from $0.90 a year earlier. Sales and other operating revenue rose to $69.11 billion from $46.63 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet expected $58.93 billion.Shares of the British oil and gas major dropped 5% in London.Sanofi said the European Commission approved an expanded indication for MenQuadfi to include infants from six weeks of age for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, W and Y.Shares of the French pharmaceutical company declined 0.5% in Paris.BioNTech reported a Q2 adjusted loss of 2.22 euros ($2.56) per diluted share, widening from the loss of 1.45 euros a year earlier. Two analysts expected an adjusted loss of 1.99 euros. Revenue fell to 105.6 million euros from 260.8 million euros. Analysts expected 157.8 million euros.Shares of the German biotech firm fell 2.2% in Frankfurt.

Asia Markets3d ago

Swiss Blue-chip Index Blinks Green; Ams-Osram Shares Up

The Swiss Market Index was up 0.64% on Tuesday's close, remaining in positive territory, as investors took stock of the latest corporate releases while keeping tabs on geopolitical developments in the Middle East.The US and Iran could reach a deal "today or tomorrow" to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and "move towards a more normalized position in this conflict," US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in an interview. Meanwhile, Qatar's foreign ministry said mediators, including its own and those from Pakistan and Oman, are working together to facilitate talks and exchange drafts between the US and Iran."After several weeks of military exchanges and fears of a renewed energy shock, markets have started August welcoming the late weekend comments from President Trump that fresh talks with Iran would begin after he cancelled plans for what he described as a major attack," according to analysts at Deutsche Bank Research. "That optimism was reinforced by suggestions from Iranian officials that negotiations between Iran and Oman over 'temporary' shipping arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz are progressing, offering a potential path towards improved oil flows."Back home, provisional data from Switzerland's Federal Statistical Office showed that the hotel sector recorded 4.1 million overnight stays in June, down by 2.2% from the prior year. Hotel bookings by domestic guests rose 0.4% to 1.9 million, while those from foreigners fell 4.4% to 2.2 million.Over to corporates, Roche (RO.SW) and its US-based partner Nurix Therapeutics enrolled the first patient in the global phase 3 clinical trial evaluating bexobrutideg as a potential therapy in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma who were previously treated with a covalent Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The trial marks the first late-stage trial for the investigational drug. The Swiss drugmaker's shares were 0.89% in the green at closing.Ams-Osram (AMS.SW) also saw its shares gain 3.36% as it reported a 4% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue to 805 million euros, coming in at the upper end of the light and sensor technology company's guided range. On the other hand, its non-adjusted net loss amounted to 121 million euros, against the year-ago net result of 1 million euros.

^SSMI$AMS.SW$RO.SW

Asia Markets3d ago

Germany's DAX Index Closes Higher; Zalando Tumbles

Germany's blue-chip DAX index remained in the green on Tuesday, closing 0.77% higher, as markets digested a fresh batch of corporate earnings reports and updates amid a quiet day of local economic news.Bayer's (BAYN.F) net income, including discontinued operations, amounted to 219 million euros in the second quarter, swinging from a year-ago loss of 199 million euros, while sales over the period increased to 10.87 billion euros from 10.74 billion euros. The German life sciences company's shares added 2.40% at the end of the trading day."While we've delivered strong strategic and financial progress, including meaningful steps on our balance sheet, important opportunities remain ahead of us. Bayer benefits from a powerful innovation engine and growth prospects across all three businesses. Our financial priorities are clear: to further strengthen the balance sheet, enhance productivity and improve cash generation, while continuing to invest behind growth and creating sustainable value," according to Chief Financial Officer Judith Hartmann.Meanwhile, Zalando (ZAL.F) saw a year-over-year jump in second-quarter revenue to 3.42 billion euros from 2.84 billion euros, while gross merchandise volume was up 20.7% to 4.92 billion euros. For full-year 2026, the online fashion retailer now expects revenue and gross merchandise volume growth to be in the lower half of its previous 12% to 17% guidance, on a reported basis."Zalando reported Q2-26 results this morning with slightly soft results (-1% GMV miss;-2% sales miss; -2% AEBIT miss). B2C GMV was softer at +4.4% pro-forma YoY growth (decelerating QoQ, despite an easing comp) whilst B2B continues to grow well on topline and margins. Guidance narrowed on AEBIT and pushed to lower end on topline growth but both of these were expected. Net net, we think this is slightly disappointing today," Bernstein analysts said in a quick take note. The stock dropped 13.36% at closing.Elsewhere and on the geopolitical front, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that the US could reach a deal with Iran "today or tomorrow" to open the Strait of Hormuz. When asked if Iran could charge a toll, Bessent replied that the deal would allow "freedom of movement."

^DAX$BAYN.F$ZAL.F

Asia Markets3d ago

UK Shares Advance on Earnings, Corporate Developments

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.20% higher on Tuesday as investors digested a flurry of earnings reports, corporate updates and deals from several heavyweight companies.Halma (HLMA.L) was one of the top gainers on the blue-chip index, jumping 5.47%, after the safety technology group completed the sale of its NovaBone Products business and subsidiaries to Isto Biologics for $60 million.Meanwhile, Segro (SGRO.L) rose 1.44% after agreeing to the terms of a recommended share offer from Prologis (0KOD.L) that values the UK logistics property company at 14.3 billion pounds sterling, including its proposed 2026 final dividend. The deal is expected to complete in the first half of 2027, subject to approvals. Prologis' London-traded shares fell 1.53% at the end of the session.Defense contractor BAE Systems (BA.L) also gained 1.91% after securing a three-year contract worth 135 million pounds from the UK government to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons.On the flip side, medical technology company Smith & Nephew (SN.L) was the FTSE 100's worst performer, falling 6.27%, after lowering its 2026 revenue growth guidance to 4% from 6%. "Poor wound (slightly surprising) and Ortho hip (not unexpected) performances are negative, but since neither sell nor buyside believed the c.6% guide, a cut here will probably be taken quite well (we would have expected to c.5%, not c.4% though), and the bottom line protection saves an EPS cut," RBC Capital Markets said.HSBC (HSBA.L) declined 0.80% despite posting upbeat second-quarter results and plans for an up to $1 billion share buyback. "HSBC printed a solid set of Q226 numbers," BofA Global Research said, maintaining its buy rating and raising its price objective for the stock. "[Pretax profit] ex notable items was 5% ahead of consensus, driven by higher income. ... Buyback restarted this quarter as per management guidance, at $1bn (vs Visible Alpha consensus c.$2bn)."In geopolitical news, Qatar said a proposal for a US-Iran agreement had been drafted, while US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Tuesday that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached "today or tomorrow."

FTSE 100$0KOD.L$BA.L$HLMA.L$HSBA.L$SGRO.L$SN.L

Asia Markets3d ago

European Equities Traded in US as ADRs Advance in Tuesday Trading

European equities traded in the US as American depositary receipts rose late Tuesday morning with the S&P Europe Select ADR Index gaining 0.6% to 1,941.81.From continental Europe, the gainers were led by semiconductor company Sequans Communications (SQNS) and medical device maker EDAP TMS (FOCL), which climbed 11% and 5.3%, respectively. They were followed by telecommunications company Nokia (NOK) and internet ad firm Criteo (CRTO), which advanced 5.2% and 3.2%, respectively.The decliners from continental Europe were led by petroleum refiner Equinor (EQNR) and oil and gas company Eni (E), which fell 2.1% and 1.8%, respectively. They were followed by accommodations platform trivago (TRVG) and pharmaceutical company Ascendis Pharma (ASND), which were down 0.9% each.The gainers from the UK were led by mining company BHP Group (BHP) and pharmaceutical company Silence Therapeutics (SLN), which rose 3.8% and 3%, respectively. They were followed by biotech firm Autolus Therapeutics (AUTL) and lender Barclays (BCS), which were up 2.5% and 1.3%, respectively.The decliners from the UK and Ireland were led by medical device maker Smith & Nephew (SNN) and oil and gas company BP (BP), which dropped 5.8% and 4%, respectively. They were followed by educational publisher Pearson (PSO) and oil and gas company Shell (SHEL), which lost 1.6% and 1.4%, respectively.

$ASND$AUTL$BCS$BHP$BP$CRTO$E$EQNR$FOCL$NOK$PSO$SHEL$SLN$SNN$SQNS$TRVG

Asia Markets3d ago

Asian Equities Traded in the US as American Depositary Receipts Rise in Tuesday Trading

Asian equities traded in the US as American depositary receipts were higher Tuesday morning, rising 0.52% to 2,967.92 on the S&P Asia 50 ADR Index.From North Asia, the gainers were led by semiconductor company Himax Technologies (HIMX), which rose 8.4%. It was followed by media company Phoenix New Media (FENG) and semiconductor company Silicon Motion Technology (SIMO), which advanced 6.2% and 5.2% respectively.The decliners from North Asia were led by mobile big data platform Aurora Mobile (JG), which fell 10%. It was followed by diagnostic imaging centers company Concord Medical Services (CCM) and video-sharing platform Bilibili (BILI), which were down 2.9% and 2.2% respectively.From South Asia, the gainers were led by Canaan (CAN) and telecommunications operator Telekomunikasi Indonesia (TLK), which rose 6% and 1.1% respectively. They were followed by IT firm Sify Technologies (SIFY), which was up 0.9%.The decliners from South Asia were led by IT firm Wipro (WIT) and lender HDFC Bank (HDB), which fell 1.4% and 1.2% respectively. They were followed by telecommunications operator PLDT (PHI), which was off 0.9%.

$BILI$CAN$CCM$FENG$HDB$HIMX$INFY$JG$PHI$SIFY$SIMO$TLK$WIT

Asia Markets3d ago

Update: Palantir Earnings Beat, Tech Stock Rally Lift US Equity Futures Pre-Bell

(Updates with economic data, recent oil price movement, world markets' overview and corporate stock movements.)US equity futures were higher pre-bell Tuesday as technology-related stocks were on the upswing, highlighted by a Q2 beat-and-raise from Palantir Technologies (PLTR).Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 1.2% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures were 1.1% higher.Palantir shares were up more than 15% in pre-market activity after the company posted Q2 adjusted earnings and revenue that surpassed analysts' estimates, as well as boosting its full-year 2026 revenue outlook.President Donald Trump said late Monday that Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chevron (CVX) had made "too much money" off higher oil prices and told them to "give some of that back to the public," multiple media outlets reported.SpaceX (SPCX) is expected to report its Q2 earnings after the market closes. Analysts polled by FactSet expect a loss of $0.23 per share on revenue of $6.83 billion.Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 2.4% at $81.77 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3.1% lower at $77.86 per barrel.The US international trade deficit narrowed to $73.26 billion in June from revised $77.65 billion gap in May, compared with a $73.0 billion gap expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.June factory orders, due at 10 am ET, are expected to have gained 0.2%, compared with a decline of 1.3% previously. June job openings from the US Department of Labor's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey are expected at 7.454 million, compared with 7.594 million in the prior month.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.3% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.6% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.3% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.3%, and Germany's DAX index was 0.8% higher in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Caterpillar (CAT) shares rose 11% after the company's Q2 adjusted profit and revenue beat analysts' consensus. Merck (MRK) stock was up 0.9% after the company posted better-than-expected Q2 results. Broadcom (AVGO) shares were 2.7% higher and Micron Technology (MU) stock was up 4.5% as part of a broader rally in technology stocks.On the losing side, HSBC (HSBC) shares fell 2% despite the company posting higher basic earnings and revenue for Q2. Prologis (PLD) stock was down 3% after the company said it reached a recommended agreement to acquire Segro in a transaction valuing the target company at about $18.8 billion.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AVGO$CAT$CVX$HSBC$MRK$MU$PLD$PLTR$SPCX$XOM

Asia Markets3d ago

Tadawul Shares Close Higher as Saudi PMI Stays in Expansion Territory in July

The Tadawul All Share Index closed higher on Tuesday at 0.32% in the green as investors assessed the kingdom's latest PMI report.The Riyad Bank Purchasing Managers' Index ticked down to 53.1 in July from 53.3 a month prior. Data showed resilient upturns in output and new orders, as well as an expansion in workforce numbers."Saudi Arabia's non-oil economy continued to demonstrate resilience in July, with the PMI registering 53.1, marking a fourth consecutive month of expansion despite a challenging regional environment. While the headline reading eased marginally from June's 53.3, it remains comfortably above the neutral threshold, highlighting that underlying business conditions continue to improve. The latest survey suggests that domestic demand is gradually strengthening as market conditions normalize following recent regional disruptions, supporting sustained increases in both output and new orders," Riyad Bank Chief Economist Naif Al-Ghaith commented.Back at home, the bourse's biggest company, Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (SASE:2222), d/b/a Saudi Aramco, reported a 33.274% increase in net profit and a 12.669% rise in revenue for the first half of 2026. The state-owned oil giant's shares closed 0.81% lower.Other Saudi-listed companies such as Saudi Energy Co. (SASE:5110), and Shatirah House Restaurant Co. (SASE:6016), d/b/a Burgerizzr, also reported higher financial results for the six months ended June 30. Malath Cooperative Insurance (SASE:8020), however, logged declines in attributable profit and insurance revenue.Burgerizzr closed 1.60% in the green, while Malath and Saudi Energy closed 1.95% and 2.60% in the red, respectively.Meanwhile, Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co. (SASE:7202), d/b/a Solutions, shares ticked up 1.28% as it entered into an 18-month contract to construct and prepare data centers in Dammam.

^TASISASE:2222SASE:5110SASE:6016SASE:7202SASE:8020

Asia Markets3d ago

Abu Dhabi, Dubai Stocks Gain Ahead of Key Economic Data

Stocks in the United Arab Emirates closed in the green again, with the FTSE ADX General Index gaining 1.618% and the DFM General Index adding 1.83% at the close of Tuesday trading.Markets will await the release of the UAE S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index report for July on Wednesday to gauge the health of the country's non-oil private sector amid the renewed tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. The metric declined to 50.8 in June from 52.6 in May.On the geopolitical front, investor optimism improved after US President Donald Trump signaled that fresh talks with Iran had resumed, though the Middle Eastern country dismissed claims that any such negotiations are taking place."Oil prices dropped sharply yesterday on rising optimism that the US and Iran may be moving closer to reviving a Middle East deal," ING said. "The scale of the sell-off seems fairly overdone, given that there's still considerable uncertainty. We've been in this situation multiple times before, only to see things unravel. And with Iran denying that any talks are underway and Trump issuing warnings if no deal materialises, the backdrop clearly leaves ample room for a renewed escalation."Back home and on the corporate front, FAB Securities confirmed Americana Restaurants International's (ADX:AMR) buy rating with a price target of 2.50 Emirati dirhams after its second-quarter attributable profit surpassed the financial services firm's expectations. Shares of the restaurant operator closed the session flat.Al Ramz Corp. Investment and Development (DFM:ALRAMZ) logged a 90% year-over-year growth in its first-half net profit driven by higher trading volumes, asset management fees, and market-making revenue. The Dubai-listed investor's shares were also unchanged at the time of closing.

^DFMGI^FADGIADX:AMRDFM:ALRAMZ

Asia Markets3d ago

Palantir Technologies Earnings Buoy Wall Street Pre-Bell; Asia Mixed, Europe Up

Wall Street futures pointed moderately higher pre-bell Tuesday after software giant Palantir Technologies (PLTR) logged strong Q2 results and boosted guidance overnight, adding support to optimistic tech sector outlooks.Palantir traded up 14.8% pre-bell, while in the futures, the S&P 500 rose 0.2%, the Nasdaq inclined 0.8% and the Dow Jones was up 0.5%.Investors also await the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey report for June, aka JOLTS, at 10 am ET for clues into how US labor markets are faring under higher oil prices and Persian Gulf turmoil.Asian exchanges traded mixed and muted overnight, while European bourses tracked moderately higher midday on the continent.On the earnings scene, Caterpillar (CAT) shares traded up 8.7% pre-bell after the heavy-machinery maker reported Q2 earnings and revenue above consensus, in morning hours.SpaceX (SPCX), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Arista Networks (ANET) and Amgen (AMGN) plan to report after-bell.On the economic calendar, in addition to the JOLTS report, is the international trade in goods and services bulletin for June at 8:30 am ET, followed by the factory orders for June bulletin at 10 am.In premarket action, Bitcoin traded at $63,416, West Texas Intermediate crude oil traded up 1.9% at $81.88, and 10-year US Treasuries offered 4.71%. Spot gold commanded $4,050 an ounce.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$CAT$PLTR

Asia Markets3d ago

Singapore Shares Mute as Regional Uncertainty Weighs Down Sentiment

Singapore shares remained little changed on Tuesday, with investor sentiment remaining cautious over uncertainty in the Middle East and lofty AI valuations.The Straits Times Index (STI), a key benchmark for the Singapore Exchange, ranged between 5,603.01 and 5,633.84 throughout the day. It ended the session at 5,612.25, down 0.03 points or 0% compared to Monday's close.On the corporate front, shares of Koh Brothers Eco Engineering (SGX:5HV) were down nearly 10% at the close with the engineering solutions provider flagging a net loss for the first half of the year.APAC Realty's (SGX:CLN) shares closed nearly 7% higher as its attributable profit to owners fell 17% during the first half of the year to SG$9.4 million from SG$11.3 million a year earlier.Meanwhile, shares of First Sponsor Group (SGX:ADN) were up nearly 5% at the close as it proposed a renounceable, non-underwritten rights issue of up to SG$332.6 million in 4.85% perpetual convertible capital securities.

^STISGX:5HVSGX:ADNSGX:CLN

Asia Markets4d ago

Update: US Equity Indexes Jump as Communication Services Rally While Crude Oil Slides With Treasury Yields

(Updates with index/price moves and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)US equity indexes rose amid strong gains in communications services and a slide in government bond yields, coupled with a drop in crude oil futures, supporting President Donald Trump's version of the state of Iran peace negotiations.The Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.1% to 25,913.90, with the S&P 500 up 1.5% to 7,600.50 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1.3% to 53,178.41 on Monday.Communication services surged 4.3%, topping sectors, followed by consumer discretionary and technology. Energy, consumer staples, and health care were the sole decliners.Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Google signed a 15-year power purchase agreement for the total energy output from RWE's 155-megawatt Crooked Creek solar project in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, RWE said Monday. Shares of Alphabet jumped 4.9%, the top gainer on the Dow.Amazon.com's (AMZN) web services unit and Superblocks unveiled a multi-year collaboration to bring the latter's generative AI platform to customers' AWS environments, including Amazon Bedrock. Shares of Amazon advanced 4.6%, one of the biggest outperformers on the Dow, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq.Alibaba (BABA) launched Qwen3.8-Max, its latest large language model, and plans to release the model's open weights next week alongside Qwen3.8-27B.President Donald Trump said his latest offer of talks is a "last chance" for Iran after he called off what he said was a major attack on the Islamic Republic, Bloomberg reported. "I want to give them every last chance before decapitation," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, according to Bloomberg. "You'll find out today or tomorrow. I mean, they're going to go quickly, one way or the other. It's not very complex."Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said no negotiations with the US were underway and no meetings were scheduled, Reuters reported.Oman and Iran have been negotiating over a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, which borders both their territorial waters, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Sunday night, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Iranian cabinet in a report that negotiations between Tehran and Muscat were "on the way to being finalized".The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil slumped 5.3% to $80.15 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent dropped 4.8% to $83.70 a barrel.Most US Treasury yields declined, with the 10-year trading down 6.7 basis points to 4.68%, retreating from the 52-week high touched late last week. The two-year yield dropped 5.2 basis points to 4.24%.In economic news, the Institute for Supply Management's US manufacturing index rose to 55.6 in July from 53.3 in June, compared with expectations for 53.9 in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. This is the highest reading since May 2022, ISM said."The increase in New Orders and Production, along with an increase in Order Backlogs and Employment suggests that manufacturing businesses are becoming more comfortable with the idea of expanding capacity," Thomas Simons, Jefferies Chief Economist, said in a note. "Comments from some respondents suggest that the AI infrastructure build out has accelerated to a new phase."

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AMZN$BABA$GOOG$GOOGL

Asia Markets4d ago

Update: US Equity Indexes Rise Amid Rally in Communication Services; Crude Oil Slides With Treasury Yields

US equity indexes rose after midday Monday amid strong gains in communications services, while a slide in government bond yields accompanied a drop in crude oil futures.The Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.2% to 25,923.9, with the S&P 500 up 1.4% to 7,596.8 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average higher by 1.1% to 53,071.2.Communication services surged 4.5%, topping sector charts, followed by a rise in consumer discretionary and technology. Energy, healthcare and consumer staples led decliners."Iranian Leadership is unbelievably duplicitous!" President Donald Trump said in a social media post Monday, reverting to lashing out at Iran after canceling a planned attack against the Islamic Republic last Saturday because the "perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.""Nothing gets through to Iran unless we want it to, and nothing will get through unless a Deal, or Total Surrender, is accomplished," the US president said, referring to the US blockade of Iranian ports. "Whether Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused, for decades."Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said no negotiations with the US were underway and no meetings were scheduled, Reuters reported.Oman and Iran have been negotiating over a new maritime route through the Strait of Hormuz, which borders both their territorial waters, Al Jazeera, a Middle Eastern broadcaster, reported. Sunday night, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the Iranian cabinet in a report that negotiations between Tehran and Muscat were "on the way to being finalized".The front-month US West Texas Intermediate crude oil slumped 5.4% to $80.08 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent dropped 4.9% to $83.66 a barrel.Most US Treasury yields declined, with the 10-year trading down 5.5 basis points to 4.69%, retreating from the 52-week high touched late last week. The two-year yield dropped 3.1 basis points to 4.26%.In precious metal markets, gold futures slipped 0.4% to $4,090.5, while silver futures were unchanged at $57.77.In economic news, the Institute for Supply Management's US manufacturing index rose to 55.6 in July from 53.3 in June, compared with expectations for 53.9 in a Bloomberg-compiled survey. This is the highest reading since May 2022, ISM said.The S&P Global US manufacturing index for July was revised upward to 53.9 from the flash reading of 53.8, compared with expectations for no revision in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.In company news, Alibaba (BABA) launched Qwen3.8-Max, its latest large language model, and plans to release the model's open weights next week alongside Qwen3.8-27B.Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) is in talks with AstraZeneca (AZN) about a potential combination that would create a pharmaceutical company valued at nearly $400 billion, the Financial Times reported.Marriott International (MAR) reported Q2 revenue below estimates amid headwinds from the Middle East conflict, and offered a downbeat Q3 earnings outlook. Shares slumped 6.3%, among the worst performers on the Nasdaq and the S&P 500.

Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$AZN$BABA$BMY$MAR

Asia Markets4d ago

Exchange-Traded Funds Higher as US Equities Advance After Midday

Broad Market IndicatorsBroad-market exchange-traded funds IWM and IVV rose. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) added 1.5%.US equity indexes rose amid strong gains in communications services, while a slide in government bond yields accompanied a drop in crude oil futures.EnergyIShares US Energy ETF (IYE) fell 0.8% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) was down 1%.TechnologyThe State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) gained 1.2%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) rose 2.3%, and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) added 1.9%.The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) was up 0.8%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) shed 0.5%.FinancialThe State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) rose 0.2%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) advanced 0.5%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 0.5%.CommoditiesCrude oil declined 6%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) fell 5.6%. Natural gas rose 0.4%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) added 0.1%.Gold on Comex shed 0.3%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) fell 0.4%. Silver rose fractionally, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) dropped 0.6%.ConsumerThe State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) was down 0.3%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) slipped 0.3%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) fell 0.5%.The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) was up 1.6%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) added 1.3%, and the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) gained 1.4%.HealthcareThe State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) declined 0.5%, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) fell 0.5%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) shed 0.4%. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) was down 0.6%.IndustrialThe State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) rose 1%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) were also higher.CryptocurrencyIn midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) added 0.8%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) rose 1.3%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) was down 0.3%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was 0.1% higher.

Dow Jones^EEM^EXI^FAS^FAZ^GLD^IBB^IGM^IGV^IPK^IVV^IWMNasdaq Composite^IYE^IYH^IYJ^IYK^IYW^PMR^QQQ^RTH^SOXXS&P 500^SPY^UNG^USO^VDC^VHT^VIS^XLE^XLF^XLI^XLK^XLP^XLV^XRT^XSD$BETH$BITO$EETH

Asia Markets4d ago

Swiss Stocks Open Week Upbeat as Inflation Eases

The blue-chip Swiss Market Index welcomed the new trading week in positive territory, closing 0.18% higher on Monday, amid a busy week of economy-related data releases at home and across other key global economies.The annual inflation rate in Switzerland ticked down to 0.4% in July from 0.5% in the previous month, government data showed. On a monthly basis, consumer prices were 0.1% lower, compared with the prior month's zero growth."The 0.1% decrease compared with the previous month is due to several factors including lower prices for air transport, diesel and petrol. Prices also decreased for clothing and footwear, due to seasonal sales. In contrast, other parahotel accommodation and heating oil recorded a price increase, as did car rental and car sharing," the Federal Statistical Office said.Meanwhile, the country's manufacturing PMI declined to 53.2 in July from 54.3 in June amid increased concerns related to trade barriers, according to data from procure.ch and UBS.On the labor market front, the KOF employment indicator climbed to 2.1 points in the third quarter from the downwardly revised 1.6 points in the prior quarter, slightly higher than its long-term average of 1.7 points."This improvement is being driven by more encouraging employment forecasts for the next three months, whilst companies are assessing their current employment levels with slightly greater caution than in the last quarter," the KOF Swiss Economic Institute said. "The indicator's two components are moving in opposite directions. On balance, the assessment of current employment levels has fallen from 1.9 points to 1.7, whilst forecasts have risen from 1.2 points to 2.5. Consequently, the proportion of firms planning to create additional jobs in the near future again more clearly outnumbers those intending to cut jobs."In corporate news, Sandoz Group (SDZ.SW) entered into a settlement agreement totaling $450 million to resolve all remaining claims in the US related to allegations of anti-competitive conduct in the generic medicines market. Separately, the Swiss generic drugmaker also agreed to pay $28.5 million to settle an indirect reseller class action in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, noting that the settlement agreements contain no admission of wrongdoing by the company. The stock was down 2.68% at closing.On the flip side, Landis+Gyr Group (LAND.SW) gained 3.61% as it announced a fixed-price offer to repurchase up to 1 million registered shares at 50 francs each, with the 50 million-franc offer set to run from Tuesday until Aug. 18. The energy technology company also terminated its 2025-2028 share buyback program with immediate effect, under which it repurchased 1,264,957 registered shares for a total value of 61.9 million francs. A new buyback program will be initiated after the fixed-price offer is completed.

^SSMI$LAND.SW$SDZ.SW

Asia Markets4d ago

DAX Index Rallies Amid Latest German Manufacturing, Retail Sales Data

German shares jumped during the first trading day of the month, with the blue-chip DAX index up 1.46% at Monday's close, as the market assessed fresh domestic manufacturing and retail sales figures against ongoing developments in the US-Iran conflict.According to S&P Global, the final headline German manufacturing PMI came in at 52.2 in July 2026, as expected, and above the previous month's 50.3, marking the joint-highest reading since May 2022."Germany's manufacturing sector made an impressive start to the third quarter, with a notable improvement in export sales helping drive the strongest production growth in nearly four-and-a-half years. An easing of cost inflation to the weakest seen since the outbreak of the Middle East war, primarily linked to the drop in oil prices through June and into early July, was likely a supporting factor too," S&P Global Market Intelligence Economics Associate Director Phil Smith said. "Given the volatility in oil prices in recent weeks and the still highly uncertain situation in the Middle East, it's difficult to see this kind of performance being sustained without a resolution to the hostilities."In other local economic news, Destatis reported that German retail sales dropped 1.1% month on month in June, compared with a revised 1.2% growth previously and the expected 0.4% dip. Annually, retail sales were down 0.2%, against a revised 2.1% increase earlier.On the geopolitical side, Reuters reported that Iran's Foreign ⁠Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei denied US President Donald Trump's statements regarding scheduled negotiations for Monday, saying no talks are planned after Trump abruptly called off threatened military strikes. Tehran's spokesman added that the only active discussions are with Oman about the management of the Strait of Hormuz.In corporate news, Beiersdorf (BEI.F) tumbled 1.93% and became one of the index's biggest losers, as the German personal care products manufacturer now anticipates its full-year 2026 organic sales to fall by a low single digit amid expectations of persistent market volatility. The company previously projected flat to slightly higher sales.Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank Research raised its price target for Siemens AG (SIE.F) to 270 euros from 260 euros and maintained its hold rating, noting the performance of the German technology group's peers."In this short note, we discuss the (disappointing) results from Healthineers [SHL.F] and the (positive) read-across from Siemens' peers in the automation and electrification domains. We now expect Siemens to beat on orders across all four divisions this quarter... Overall, we anticipate that management will likely upgrade its EPS guidance by c.5% to a new range of EUR11.3-11.7 versus EUR10.7-11.0 previously (including EUR0.15 from SHL tariff refunds), with the Street sitting at EUR11.3," the research firm wrote. Siemens climbed 0.94%, while Siemens Healthineers rose 6.10% at the end of the trading day.

^DAX$BEI.F$SHL.F$SIE.F

Asia Markets4d ago

British Equities Fall; AstraZeneca Slides on Reported Bristol Myers Squibb Merger Talks

London's FTSE 100 closed 0.16% lower on Monday as declines in oil prices weighed on energy stocks, while heavyweight AstraZeneca (AZN.L) slumped after reports of potential merger talks with US peer Bristol Myers Squibb.Brent crude fell after President Donald Trump called off a planned strike on Iran following intervention from Gulf allies, easing fears of a wider conflict. Washington is also expected to resume negotiations with Tehran later Monday.On the economic front, the UK's manufacturing sector remained in growth territory in July for the ninth consecutive month on the back of upturns in production, new business and new export orders, S&P Global said. Still, the final S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI stood at a four-month low of 51.9, down from the prior 52.5 and the flash estimate of 52.8, as stocks of purchases declined and jobs growth slowed."[The] positive price and demand trends were not fully reflected in the labour market, with the upturn in manufacturing hirings grinding to a near halt in July, but the first rise in backlogs of work in over four years suggests employment could pick up in the coming months. This would be assisted if business optimism recovers from its current subdued level. Hopefully progress relating to geopolitics, global trade tensions and the direction of the new UK government's industrial and tax policies will aid, and not hinder, this process," S&P Global Market Intelligence director Rob Dobson said.Investors will next turn to UK new car registration data and the final composite PMI on Wednesday, followed by construction PMI on Thursday and the Lloyds house price index on Friday.In corporate news, AstraZeneca was the worst performer on the blue-chip index, losing 9.33% at close, after London's Financial Times cited sources as saying that the drugmaker is in talks with Bristol Myers Squibb over a potential $400 billion merger.BP (BP.L) declined 0.34% after completing the sale of its refinery and related businesses in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, to independent refiner Klesch Group. The oil major said the disposal is expected to reduce its underlying operating expenditure by about $1 billion, in line with its capital allocation strategy.Among the gainers, wealth manager St. James's Place (STJ.L) rose 2.85% after launching a share buyback program worth 128.1 million pounds sterling.

FTSE 100$AZN.L$BP.L$STJ.L

Asia Markets4d ago

European Stocks Close Mostly Higher in Monday Trading; AstraZeneca Reportedly in Merger Talks With Bristol Myers

European stock markets closed mostly higher in Monday trading as the Stoxx Europe gained 0.4%, Germany's DAX climbed 1.6%, France's CAC advanced 1.4%, the Swiss Market Index edged 0.1% higher, while the FTSE 100 was off 0.3%.The S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI, which gauges the eurozone's manufacturing sector's health, expanded to 51.9 in July, from 51.4 in June, which is the strongest improvement in factory operating conditions since April. Factory production volumes in the euro area increased at its fastest rate since March 2022.In corporate news, AstraZeneca is in talks with Bristol Myers Squibb about a potential combination that would create a pharmaceutical company valued at nearly $400 billion, the Financial Times reported Sunday, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.According to the report, the companies have held discussions in recent months, though a deal could still be delayed or fail to materialize.Shares of the British pharmaceutical company fell 8.6% in London.UBS' UBS Financial Services unit was assessed a $125 million civil money penalty for alleged violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, the US Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said Monday.The agency said UBS Financial Services failed to properly monitor foreign currency wire transfers involving more than $10 billion, conduct adequate customer due diligence, and timely report suspicious activity. Under the settlement, the agency said UBS Financial Services agreed to an independent assessment of its anti-money laundering program.UBS did not immediately respond to' request for comment.Shares of the Swiss bank were little changed in Zurich.Shell has agreed to sell its European onshore renewables portfolio to Total Energies, the oil giant disclosed Monday.No price tag was disclosed on the transaction, which is expected to conclude in 2026, and which includes 500 megawatts of renewable generation capacity that is either operating or being built in the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.In addition, the Paris-based Total Energies said it will acquire from a Shell a 3.5 gigawatt pipeline of unbuilt solar, wind and battery storage projects in Italy, the UK and Spain.Separately, Total Energies also disclosed the sale of a 50% stake in a 1.2 gigawatt onshore solar and wind portfolio in Europe to an insurance arm of US-based investment house KKR. A sale price was not disclosed, but Total Energies said it retains a 50% stake the assets sold to KKR, and the whole portfolio has an enterprise value of 1.8 billion euros.Shares of Shell gained 0.4% in London, while shares of Total Energies edged 0.1% lower in Paris.BP has completed the sale of its Gelsenkirchen refinery and related businesses in Germany to Klesch Group, the company said Monday.The divestment supports its focus on disciplined capital allocation and is expected to reduce underlying operating expenses by about $1 billion.The sale includes the Horst and Scholven refinery sites and the Bottrop tank farm.Shares of BP declined 0.5% in London.EasyJet extended the deadline for Castlelake to decide whether to make an offer for the budget carrier until Aug. 7 from Aug. 3, aligning it with the deadline set for Apollo Global Management EasyJet said in a stock filing Monday.On July 10, Apollo and EasyJet reached an agreement in principle on the key financial terms of a possible cash offer to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of EasyJet for 7.15 British pounds ($9.62) per share.Shares of the British airline rose more than 2% in London.Anheuser-Busch InBev shareholder Eugenie Patri Sebastien sold about a 731 million-euro ($842.4 million) stake in the company earlier this year, Bloomberg reported Monday, citing the transaction's terms.According to the report, the sale was carried out through a block trade of about 10 million shares at 73.10 euros each.InBev did not respond to' request for a comment.Shares of the brewing company fell 2.3% in Brussels.British online sports betting and gambling company Flutter Entertainment said Monday it completed the removal of its shares from the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the London Stock Exchange main market.The company's stock is now exclusively listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the company said.

Asia Markets4d ago

European Equities Traded in the US as American Depositary Receipts Decline in Monday Trading

European equities traded in the US as American depositary receipts started the week off lower late Monday morning, declining 0.35% to 1,925.58 on the S&P Europe Select ADR Index.From continental Europe, the gainers were led by accommodations booking site trivago (TRVG) and software firm SAP (SAP), which rose 4% and 3.3%, respectively. They were followed by telecommunications company Ericsson (ERIC) and 3D printer company Materialise (MTLS), which were up 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively.The decliners from continental Europe were led by petroleum refiner Equinor (EQNR) and brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD), which dropped 2.8% and 2.4%, respectively. They were followed by oil and gas company Eni (E) and biopharmaceutical company argenx (ARGX), which were down 2.2% and 1.9%, respectively.The gainers from the UK were led by biotech firm Autolus Therapeutics (AUTL) and biopharmaceutical company Biodexa Pharmaceuticals (BDRX), which advanced 30% and 6.8%, respectively. They were followed by pharmaceutical company Silence Therapeutics (SLN) and biopharmaceutical company NuCana (NCNA), which increased 5.9% and 3%, respectively.The decliners from the UK and Ireland were led by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (AZN) and biotech firm Trinity Biotech (TRIB), which fell 8.1% and 2.9%, respectively. They were followed by oil and gas company BP (BP) and biopharmaceutical company Akari Therapeutics (AKTX), which lost 2.3% and 2.1%, respectively.

$AKTX$ARGX$AUTL$AZN$BDRX$BP$BUD$E$EQNR$ERIC$MTLS$NCNA$SAP$SLN$TRIB$TRVG

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Asia Markets4d ago