United News of Bangladesh

Asian stock markets climbed in early trading on Friday, following a third consecutive day of gains on Wall Street, fueled by optimism that the Federal Reserve may move to cut interest rates. Japan's Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to reach 35,701.38, while South Korea's Kospi advanced 1% to 2,547.39. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index rose 1.4% to 22,226.19. Meanwhile, China’s Shanghai Composite Index was mostly flat, hovering at 3,297.36. Investor sentiment was lifted by speculation that former President Donald Trump may be easing his stance on tariffs and taking a softer tone toward the Federal Reserve. However, Beijing pushed back on Thursday, stating that China is not currently engaged in active trade talks with the U.S. Elsewhere in the region, Taiwan’s Taiex saw a strong gain of 2.3%, while markets in Australia remained closed in observance of Anzac Day. Growth slows for South Asia, Bangladesh hit too: WB Wall Street’s rally kept rolling Thursday as better-than-expected profits for U.S. companies piled up in reports mainly from tech companies like ServiceNow and Texas Instruments, offsetting the uncertainties in the retail sector. Federal Reserve officials boosted expectations for interest rate cuts as they said that they would slash the rate as early as June if Trump’s tariffs hurt the U.S. economy and job market. The S&P 500 charged 2% higher to 5,484.77 and pulled within 11% of its record set earlier this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.2% to 40,093.40, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.7% to 17,166.04. In other moves early Friday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 13 cents to $62.92 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, added 22 cents to $66.77 per barrel. The U.S dollar rose to 142.96 Japanese yen from 142.69 yen. The euro edged lower, to $1.1349 from $1.1391.    

Asian shares soared on Thursday, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index surging over 2,000 points shortly after the Tokyo market opened, following President Donald Trump’s decision to ease tariffs on most of the US’s biggest trading partners. The regional market rally was anticipated after US stocks had their best day in history on Wednesday. Investor optimism grew after Trump announced he would ease tariff tensions, alleviating fears of an escalating trade war, AP reports. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 8.3% to 34,353.17, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 climbed 4.7% to 7,722.90. South Korea’s Kospi rose by 5.5% to 2,419.37, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 3.7% to 21,003.84. The Shanghai Composite increased 1.5% to 3,232.86. US stocks jitter as bonds strain amid tariff tensions Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management, described the shift as "from fear to euphoria". He said, “It’s now a manageable risk, especially as global recession tail bets get unwound, and most of Asia’s exporters breathe a massive sigh of relief.” Trump’s move came after recognising over 75 countries that had been negotiating on trade without retaliating against his tariff hikes. The US President confirmed that he would pause most of the tariffs on these nations for 90 days. However, he maintained a 10% tariff on nearly all global imports, with China remaining a notable exception. Trump announced that tariffs on Chinese goods would rise to 125%, indicating the potential for further market volatility. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 surged by 9.5%, marking a gain that would be considered strong for an entire year. This came after a period of significant market losses, as fears mounted that the trade war could drag the global economy into recession. But after Trump’s announcement on social media, investor sentiment shifted positively. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 2,962 points, or 7.9%, while the Nasdaq composite leapt 12.2%. The S&P 500 recorded its third-best day since 1940.

Asian shares skidded Friday after rising bond yields triggered a broad sell-off on Wall Street that erased the markets gain for the week and handed the Nasdaq composite index its steepest loss since October.

Shares advanced in most Asian markets on Wednesday after a rebound on Wall Street that reversed most losses from a sell-off the day before.

Asian shares were mostly lower Monday as investors awaited updates on the signing of a trade deal between the U.S. and China and kept a wary eye on North Korea.