US stocks are hovering near record levels on Thursday amid a relatively uneventful day on Wall Street, reports AP. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in midday trading, poised to surpass its all-time high set last month after nearing it the previous day. As of 11:30 a.m. Eastern time, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 236 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped by 0.2%. Japan's exports hit record high, but trade deficit continues Global markets showed similarly subdued activity, despite China’s latest efforts to boost stock prices in the world’s second-largest economy. For instance, Hong Kong stocks briefly gained after China directed pensions and mutual funds to increase investments in domestic equities. However, the Hang Seng index ended down 0.4%. This relative calm extended to the U.S. bond market, where Treasury yields were mixed. Recent sharp movements in bond yields have impacted stocks, particularly when inflation concerns and high U.S. debt levels drove yields higher. However, bond investors took the latest economic data in stride. Asian shares show mixed performance following Trump inauguration The data revealed that slightly more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists anticipated, but the figures remained within the modest range observed in recent months, according to Chris Larkin, managing director of trading and investing at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. “Employment continues to underscore U.S. economic outperformance,” he added. Traders largely believe the report won’t compel the Federal Reserve to adjust its main interest rate during next week’s meeting, based on CME Group data. If this holds true, it will mark the first time the Fed has refrained from lowering rates since September, when it began easing them to support the economy. While lower rates can boost investment prices, they may also fuel inflation. Treasury yields briefly rose after President Donald Trump discussed potential tariffs at the World Economic Forum, but quickly retreated as details were sparse. A major global concern has been the potential disruption to trade if Trump imposes significant tariffs. China's economy grows 5% in 2024 The yield on the 10-year Treasury increased to 4.63% from 4.61% late Wednesday, remaining below its earlier monthly peak. Meanwhile, the two-year Treasury yield, which reflects expectations for Fed actions, dipped to 4.28% from 4.30%. On Wall Street, GE Aerospace surged 6.8% following a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit report. Orders for its airplane engines and services rose by 50% year-over-year to $12.9 billion. Netflix was another major contributor to the S&P 500’s gains, climbing 2.4% after a 9.7% jump the day before due to an upbeat earnings report. Conversely, American Airlines fell 7.9% despite surpassing profit and revenue expectations for the latest quarter. The airline warned it might post a larger-than-expected loss in early 2025 and provided a full-year profit forecast with a midpoint below analysts’ predictions. Video game maker Electronic Arts plunged 18.2% after forecasting slower revenue growth for its soccer game, EA Sports FC25. It also reported lower-than-expected engagement for its Dragon Age game, further impacting revenue. In international markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.8%, despite a sharp decline for Fuji Media Holdings. This followed the announcement that Masahiro Nakai, a prominent TV host and former pop star, would retire over sexual assault allegations, which have shaken Japan’s entertainment industry. The controversy caused a wave of lost advertising at one of the networks he worked for. In the cryptocurrency market, bitcoin traded just below $105,000, according to CoinDesk, after setting a record above $109,000 on Monday. Prices have surged on speculation that President Donald Trump will adopt a more favourable stance toward the industry.

Japan saw record-high exports last year, as its annual trade deficit declined 44% from the previous year, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday. The trade deficit, which measures the value of exports minus imports, totaled 5.3 trillion yen ($34 billion), according to government data, as imports ballooned on the back of rising energy costs and growing inflation around the world. Exports from the world’s third-largest economy totaled 107.9 trillion yen ($691 billion), surpassing the 100 trillion yen mark for the second-straight year, and the biggest value on record for comparable data, which dates back to 1979, the ministry said. Some companies may have sped up their exports in anticipation of potential tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has said he expects to put 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting Feb. 1. During his campaign, he threatened to impose tariffs on imports from China, although details on that remain unclear. Read: Asian shares show mixed performance following Trump inauguration For the month of December, exports gained a greater-than-expected 2.8% on-year, while imports rose 1.8%. Exports grew to Asian and European nations, while dipping slightly to the U.S. Imports grew most from India, Hong Kong and Iran. Demand was especially strong for Japan's vehicles, semiconductors and other machinery. The weakening yen, another recent trend, has the effect of inflating the value of imports. The U.S. dollar has been hovering at 150-yen levels, sometimes surpassing 160 yen, over the past year, while a year ago it was often at 140-yen levels. Japan has recorded a trade deficit for four straight years, but last year's deficit was considerably smaller than the 9.5 trillion yen deficit for 2023.

Asian shares traded with mixed results in a generally subdued session on Tuesday, despite expectations for market movements following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, reports AP. While some analysts suggested the inauguration could boost global market optimism, others cautioned that potential tariffs could dampen Asian economies. U.S. markets remained closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. China's economy grows 5% in 2024 Japan's Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.1% to 38,951.77 during morning trading. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.5% to 8,392.80, while South Korea's Kospi dipped 0.2% to 2,514.06. Concerns regarding Trump's policies towards China have somewhat eased, as both nations expressed commitments to improving relations. Trump refrained from announcing immediate tariff measures on Chinese exports to the U.S. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index climbed 0.4% to 20,012.25, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.3% to 3,233.85. “In a surprising turn that eased global market concerns, President Trump indicated he would not impose new tariffs immediately, contrary to earlier expectations,” remarked Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. Americans to experience economic pain from Trump tariffs: Canada Reflecting some market optimism over potential executive actions to stimulate the U.S. economy, U.S. stock market futures edged higher. In other developments, shares of Fuji Media Holdings—affiliated with prominent Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV—fell during morning trading. The drop followed announcements by several companies, including Toyota Motor Corp., to halt advertising during Fuji TV programmes amidst a sex scandal reported by the weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun. In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude slipped $1.14 to $76.74 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, rose 13 cents to $80.28 a barrel. Germany's economy shrinks again Currency trading saw modest moves, with the U.S. dollar weakening slightly amid uncertainty surrounding Trump's tariff plans. The dollar declined to 155.14 Japanese yen from 155.61 yen. The euro traded at $1.0389, down marginally from $1.0419.

China's economy grew at an annual rate of 5% in 2024, meeting Beijing's "around 5%" growth target, though slower than the previous year. This performance was driven by robust exports and recent stimulus measures, reports AP. Americans to experience economic pain from Trump tariffs: Canada The government reported Friday that the economy accelerated in the fourth quarter, with a 5.4% growth rate from October to December. Export activity surged as businesses and consumers sought to preempt potential tariff increases by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Chinese goods. “The national economy was generally stable, with steady progress and notable achievements in high-quality development,” the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated. The report credited timely implementation of policy measures for boosting public confidence and facilitating a significant economic recovery. Manufacturing played a key role in the growth, with industrial output rising 5.8% year-on-year. Retail sales of consumer goods increased by 3.5% annually, while exports grew 7.1% and imports rose 2.3%. Germany's economy shrinks again Despite these gains, China's economy faces challenges, including weaker consumer spending, deflationary pressures, and a struggling property sector, historically a major growth driver. The economy grew at 5.2% in 2023, and experts anticipate a further slowdown in coming years. According to Zichun Huang of Capital Economics, recent policy easing helped the economy regain momentum in the last quarter of 2024. Huang noted, “Increased fiscal spending should continue to support activity in the near term, though growth is likely to slow in 2025 due to potential U.S. tariff hikes and structural imbalances.” China’s aging and declining population adds to its economic pressures. The population dropped for the third consecutive year in 2024, reaching 1.408 billion—a decline of 1.39 million from the previous year. Rising living costs, coupled with stagnant wages, have led many young Chinese to delay or forgo marriage and parenthood, exacerbating demographic challenges. Some analysts question the accuracy of China’s official growth figures. Cornell University economist Eswar Prasad remarked, “The official growth target’s exact achievement is doubtful, given widespread indicators of weak economic activity and financial stress.” He cited low domestic demand, deflationary pressures, and an unfavourable global environment as major hurdles. President-elect Trump has pledged to increase U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, while the outgoing Biden administration recently tightened restrictions on exports of advanced semiconductors and technologies to China, aiming to maintain the U.S. lead in innovation. In response, China’s government has introduced various stimulus measures, including reducing bank reserve requirements, lowering interest rates, and advancing budget allocations for infrastructure projects. Authorities have also instructed banks to support indebted property developers. Fu Linghui, NBS spokesperson, emphasised the importance of boosting consumption and domestic demand in 2025. “With coordinated efforts between existing and incremental policies, economic recovery momentum is building, consumer demand recovery has accelerated, and favourable conditions for moderate price rebounds are increasing,” Fu said. To revive domestic demand, Beijing has expanded a trade-in programme for consumer goods and raised salaries for millions of government employees. However, economists stress the need for broader structural reforms to enhance productivity and reduce reliance on construction and export manufacturing. Concerns persist about private sector confidence, which has been shaken by years of unpredictable policy changes. Additionally, weak social safety nets, declining housing prices, and subdued stock market performance have dampened household spending. “China needs a comprehensive and well-coordinated policy package to revitalise growth,” Prasad advised. Such measures should combine substantial monetary and fiscal stimulus with reforms to rebuild private sector confidence and support long-term economic sustainability.

Canada's energy minister came to Washington this week to warn U.S. lawmakers about President-elect Donald Trump's tariffs threat on Canada: They'd inflict economic pain on Americans, with higher prices and job losses. Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's minister of energy and natural resources, said he feels obligated to sound the alarm about the inflationary risks being created by a president who was elected in large part on the promise of bringing down prices. "It will mean higher gas prices, it will mean higher food prices, it will mean higher natural gas prices for heating people's homes,” he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “It will mean higher electricity prices. That's not something Donald Trump campaigned on. He campaigned on actually reducing the price of energy.” Trump has threatened to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on Canada as well as on Mexico. He's also threatened tariffs on China and Europe, creating a sense of uncertainty about whether this is simply a negotiating ploy or a massive restructuring of U.S. foreign relations. Trump and his team in recent days have doubled down on his promise to impose tariffs on other nations and downplayed the risk of higher inflation. “In his first term, President Trump instituted tariffs that created jobs, spurred investment, and resulted in no inflation," said Karoline Leavitt, a transition spokesperson who is also the incoming White House press secretary. "President Trump will work quickly to fix and restore an economy that puts American workers first by re-shoring American jobs, lowering inflation, raising real wages, lowering taxes, cutting regulations, and unshackling American energy.” Canada is looking at putting retaliatory tariffs on American orange juice, toilets and some steel products if Trump follows through with his threat. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, Canada announced billions of dollars in new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. The dispute never triggered broader inflation across the economy, even if it exacted higher costs for some. But by targeting America's second largest trading partner after Mexico, Trump risks upending the markets for autos, lumber and oil — all of which could carry over quickly to consumers. “I do think that people just need to understand that we're going down a path right now that will elevate the cost of living for people in the United States for no benefit," Wilkinson said. "Zero benefit.” Read: UK inflation unexpectedly eased in December Wilkinson is considering a run to lead the Liberal Party in Canada after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation this month. He expects to make a decision at the end of the week. While Trump has said he would announce tariffs immediately after taking the oath of office Monday, it's still not publicly clear what that would actually entail. It's possible he could simply announce intentions to put in tariffs, phase them in on a schedule or simply declare an economic emergency to justify higher taxes on imports. Trudeau said Wednesday that "nothing is off the table” when it comes to responding to proposed tariffs, but no single region of the country should bear the full brunt from that response. He held a five-hour meeting in Ottawa with the country’s premiers to discuss Trump’s threats. Even though Trump has signaled a willingness to act on his own, Democrats are looking to place legislative guardrails on his ambitions — a sign that they take the kinds of scenarios being outlined by Canada, Mexico and others seriously. Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., and Don Beyer, D-Va., introduced legislation Wednesday that would roll back the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives the president authority to impose sanctions on hostile foreign nations that pose an emergency threat to the U.S. DelBene said on a call with reporters to preview the legislation that Trump's tariffs constitute a “nationwide sales tax on foreign goods that saddles families with higher prices." “This is the textbook definition of a trade war," she said. Despite Trump's claim that the U.S doesn't need Canada, a quarter of the oil America consumes per day is from there. Wilkinson said that, in addition to consumer prices increasing, the U.S. could face job cuts in areas that process Canadian energy products, including the Midwest and Gulf states. "If you don't have access to Canadian gas, you can't do that. The same is true with potash.” The threat from Canada comes as concerns over the impact of Trump’s tariff proposals on the U.S. economy and inflation mount in business boardrooms, on Wall Street trading floors and among Federal Reserve officials. The Fed has already indicated it is worried tariffs could slightly lift U.S. inflation. Read more: Germany's economy shrinks again Neel Kashkari, president of the Fed’s Minneapolis branch, said Wednesday that a one-time tariff imposed by the U.S. likely wouldn’t worsen inflation much in the long run. But once other countries retaliate, Kashkari said, the impact could worsen. “If there’s tit-for-tat, that becomes much more complicated to try to forecast, what is the imprint of that on actual inflation going forward,” he said. Wilkinson said, “My focus is actually to try and get us away from the conversation on tariffs, which I would say is lose-lose."

Germany, Europe’s largest economy, saw its economy shrink for the second year in a row in 2024, based on preliminary official data published Wednesday, just weeks ahead of an election where the economy is the central focus, reports AP. The Federal Statistical Office reported a 0.2% decline in gross domestic product last year, following a contraction in 2023. Ruth Brand, the office's head, stated that the economy is estimated to have shrunk by 0.1% in the fourth quarter compared to the preceding three months. However, this is a provisional estimate as complete economic data for December are still pending. Asian stocks mixed ahead of US inflation data Germany's economic struggles have been compounded by external disruptions and domestic challenges, including bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of skilled workers, with politicians divided over solutions. The government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed in November after Scholz dismissed his finance minister over disagreements on revitalising the economy, prompting an early election set for Feb. 23. Asian shares mixed as Big Tech drops affect Wall Street Candidates vying to form the next government have presented differing strategies to reinvigorate the economy.

Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday followed Wall Street’s mostly positive performance ahead of key U.S. inflation data that could influence the pace of market-boosting rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. U.S. futures and oil prices were little changed. Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index edged 0.1% higher to 38,505.54. The Kospi rose 0.2% to 2,502.94 after South Korean law enforcement officials detained impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday in connection with his failed declaration of martial law last month. South Korea's unemployment rate reached 3.7% in December on a seasonally adjusted basis, the highest since June 2021, amid political uncertainty, the government reported. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong added 0.2% to 19,264.46 after media reported that President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming economic team is discussing gradually ramping up tariffs in different phases. The Shanghai Composite shed 0.3% to 3,232.98. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was flat at 8,233.10. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 rose 0.1% to 5,842.91 as three out of every four stocks in the index climbed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5% to 42,518.28, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% to 19,044.39. Stocks got a boost from a report showing inflation at the U.S. wholesale level wasn’t as high last month as economists expected. It’s an encouraging signal ahead of a report coming later in the day, which will show how much inflation U.S. consumers faced at gasoline pumps, grocery registers and auto lots in December. Read: Asian shares mixed as Big Tech drops affect Wall Street Stubbornly high readings on inflation and a run of better-than-expected updates on the U.S. economy have sent Wall Street into a weekslong rut, pulling it further from the dozens of all-time highs set last year. The fear is that all the strong data will convince the Federal Reserve to deliver less relief this year through lower interest rates. The Fed has already hinted it’s likely to cut rates just two times in 2025, down from an earlier projection of four. Speculation is growing about whether the Fed may cut rates zero times this year. Such questions have sent Treasury yields sharply higher in the bond market, which cranks up the pressure on the stock market. Yields slowed their ascent following the update on wholesale inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury held at 4.78%, where it was late Monday. It was below 3.65% in September. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, eased to 4.36% from 4.39%. Indexes drifted between gains and losses through the day in large part due to drops for several Big Tech stocks. Nvidia fell 1.1% and was the second-heaviest weight on the S&P 500. The only stock to drag more on the market was Eli Lilly, which fell 6.6% after saying it expects to report weaker revenue for the last three months of 2024 than previously forecast. CEO David Ricks said last quarter’s 45% growth in Lilly’s revenue for its Mounjaro diabetes treatment, Zepbound obesity injections and other products in the incretin market wasn’t as big as expected. Several of the nation’s biggest financial companies will report their latest results on Wednesday, including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, as earnings reporting season gears up. Such reports are always under the spotlight, but companies may be under more pressure to impress this time around. If Treasury yields continue to rise, either stock prices need to fall or companies need to produce bigger profit growth to make up for it. Read more: FICCI voices concerns over lack of stakeholder consultation prior to VAT policy revisions In other dealings early Wednesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil rose 6 cents to $76.43 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost 1 cent to $79.91 per barrel. The U.S. dollar fell to 157.91 Japanese yen from 158.00 yen. The euro slipped to $1.0299 from $1.0309.

A consignment of 2,450 metric tonnes of rice imported from India has arrived in the country via Chuadanga's Darshana Land Port. The rice, transported by rail, arrived at the Darshana port yard around 9 pm on Tuesday in 42 wagons from India’s Gede Port, authorities said. Atiar Rahman Habu, General Secretary of the C&F Agents Association at Darshana Port said the rice has been imported by M/S Majumdar Agrotech International Limited of Dhaka's Purana Paltan. The invoice price for each tonne of rice is $490 dollars. The rice was exported by Saubhik Export Limited, located in Kolkata. Read more: Import of Indian goods resumes through Akhaura land port Mirza Kamrul Haque, Manager of the Darshana International Railway Station, informed that after customs inspection and clearance, the rice will be booked for delivery to Ishwardi and Sirajganj. From there, it will be transported by truck to the importer. Bangladesh will import a total of 1 lakh 59 thousands metric tonnes of rice from India, and this has been the first shipment arriving through Darshana Port.

Asian markets showed mixed performance on Tuesday, reflecting Wall Street's uneven results, where gains in oil-and-gas producers balanced declines in Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks, reports AP. Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.8% to 38,469.58 after reopening following a Monday holiday. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.4% to 8,220.50, South Korea’s Kospi edged down 0.1% to 2,489.33, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1.5% to 19,163.92, and China’s Shanghai Composite jumped 2.2% to 3,229.99. Asian shares decline amid concerns over rate cuts and tariffs “Japan’s markets are catching up after last week’s sell-off,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG. Japan’s Finance Ministry reported a 54.5% year-on-year increase in the country’s current account for November, reaching 3.4 trillion yen ($21 billion). On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.2% after recovering from an earlier 0.9% drop. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.9%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4%, weighed down by Big Tech. Recent pressure on stocks stems from concerns about the Federal Reserve’s potential rate cuts this year. While lower rates would boost the economy, inflation above the Fed’s 2% target and signs of a resilient U.S. economy have cast doubt on whether any rate cuts will occur in 2025. High rates have been pushing down prices of investments, especially those deemed overvalued. Nvidia, which had nearly quintupled in value over three years due to AI enthusiasm, fell 2%, the biggest drag on the S&P 500. Apple slipped 1%, and Meta Platforms lost 1.2%, further weighing on the index. Moderna plunged 16.8% after forecasting lower-than-expected 2025 revenue and accelerating cost-cutting efforts. Macy’s dropped 8.1% on weaker-than-expected revenue projections, and Edison International lost 11.9% amid ongoing Southern California wildfires. Fire officials are investigating whether the utility’s equipment caused the Hurst fire. Oil-and-gas companies rose as crude prices climbed. Benchmark U.S. crude gained 2.9% to $78.82 per barrel on Monday, while Brent crude rose 1.6% to $81.01. Exxon Mobil increased 2.6%, and Valero Energy surged 4.9%. Early Tuesday, U.S. crude fell 37 cents to $78.45 per barrel, and Brent crude dropped 43 cents to $80.58. Stock market today: Asian shares advance though China economic data weaker than expected U.S. Steel rose 6.1% after the Biden administration extended the deadline for its acquisition by Japan’s Nippon Steel to June. Intra-Cellular Therapies soared 34.1% after Johnson & Johnson announced plans to acquire it for $132 per share. Johnson & Johnson rose 1.7%. The S&P 500 closed at 5,836.22, up 9.18 points. The Dow added 358.67 points to 42,297.12, while the Nasdaq fell 73.53 points to 19,088.10. Treasury yields continued their upward trend, with the 10-year yield rising to 4.78% from 4.76% on Friday, after being below 3.65% in September. Rising yields could pressure stock prices unless companies deliver higher profit growth. In currency markets, the U.S. dollar strengthened to 157.70 Japanese yen from 157.26 yen, while the euro declined to $1.0255 from $1.0274.

China’s exports in December grew at a faster pace than expected, as factories rushed to fill orders to beat higher tariffs that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose once he takes office. Exports rose 10.7% from a year earlier. Economists had forecast they would grow about 7%. Imports rose 1% year-on-year. Analysts had expected imports to shrink about 1.5%. Trump has pledged to raise tariffs on Chinese goods and close some loopholes that exporters now use to sell their products more cheaply in the U.S. If enacted, his plans would likely raise prices in America and squeeze sales and profit margins for Chinese exporters. With exports outpacing imports, China's trade surplus grew to $104.84 billion. China's exports are likely to remain strong in the near-term, said Zichun Huang of Capital Economics, as businesses try to “front-run” potentially higher tariffs. Read: Asian shares decline amid concerns over rate cuts and tariffs “Outbound shipments are likely to stay resilient in the near-term, supported by further gains in global market share thanks to a weak real effective exchange rate," she wrote in a note. But exports will likely weaken later in the year if Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs, Huang said.