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Europe’s main stock markets rose Thursday ahead of interest-rate decisions from the Bank of England and European Central Bank.The BoE is widely expected to cut its main rate by a quarter point to 3.75 percent as UK inflation has fallen faster than expected. In a later decision Thursday, the ECB is forecast to keep eurozone borrowing costs unchanged.”Risk sentiment is stabilising as we move towards the end of a week that is packed with policy risks and three central bank meetings,” noted Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB, as traders awaited also Friday’s rate decision from the Bank of Japan.The British pound and euro were both down against the dollar awaiting the central bank updates in Europe. Investors will pore over also US inflation data due Thursday for clues on the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rates.Asian stock markets mostly sank Thursday after Wednesday’s sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector’s colossal spending on artificial intelligence continued to dog investor sentiment.Hopes for an end-of-year rally have been dealt a blow after the Fed last week hinted that it could pause its rate cuts next month while more questions are being asked about the cash pumped into AI.Those worries were compounded Wednesday by a report that private capital group Blue Owl had pulled out of market giant Oracle’s $10 billion data centre, putting the project in doubt.That came after Oracle and chip giant Broadcom last week unveiled disappointing earnings reports.Oracle’s share price plunged more than five percent Wednesday, while Broadcom and other sector heavyweights — including Nvidia, Alphabet and Advanced Micro Devices — also tumbled.In Europe, shares in BP rose slightly in late morning deals Thursday after the British energy giant appointed a new chief executive and as oil prices flattened.- Key figures at around 1045 GMT -London – FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 9,798.77 pointsParis – CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 8,115.00Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.2 percent at 24,010.31Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 49,001.50 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 25,447.44 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,876.37 (close)New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,885.97 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1727 from $1.1743 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3352 from $1.3379Dollar/yen: UP at 155.89 yen from 155.70Euro/pound: UP at 87.86 pence from 87.77Brent North Sea Crude: FLAT at $59.69 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $55.86 per barrel

Most Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector’s colossal spending on artificial intelligence continued to dog investor sentiment.Hopes for an end-of-year rally have been dealt a blow after the Federal Reserve last week hinted that it could pause its interest rate cuts next month while more questions are being asked about the cash pumped into AI.While the US central bank’s three successive rate reductions have provided a boost to equities in the back end of the year, some fear that support will be taken away.Key US inflation data due later Thursday could provide some idea about officials’ plans after a jobs report Tuesday provided little clarity.Focus is now back on the tech sector amid rising speculation that a bubble has formed and could be close to popping. While software and chip firms have led a surge in markets to record highs this year, a growing number of investors are beginning to wonder whether their valuations have been stretched and are asking when the cash pumped into AI will start to see returns.Those worries were compounded Wednesday by a report that private capital group Blue Owl had pulled out of market giant Oracle’s $10 billion data centre, putting the project in doubt.That came after Oracle and chip giant Broadcom last week unveiled disappointing earnings reports.Oracle plunged more than five percent Wednesday, while Broadcom and other sector heavyweights, including Nvidia, Alphabet and Advanced Micro Devices, also tumbled.The Nasdaq on Wall Street dived 1.8 percent and the broader S&P 500 was off more than one percent.Michael Hewson at CMC Markets said the “surge in valuations has… prompted fears of a bubble in the sector with some wild swings in recent weeks on the back of some end-of-year profit taking”.He added that there was “some chatter that 2026 could prompt a bit of a reset when it comes to AI winners, and AI losers”.Asian markets largely tracked the US losses.Tokyo and Seoul — which have heavy tech presences — led losses, followed by Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta.However, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Mumbai rose while Sydney was flat.European markets were mixed ahead of policy decisions by the Bank of England and European Central Bank.London rose, Paris was flat and Frankfurt edged down.Oil prices rose again after Washington said US forces carried out a strike on a vessel it said was engaged in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, killing four “narco-terrorists”.The move ramped up concerns about Donald Trump’s plans for Venezuela after he ordered a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers heading to and leaving the country.The US president’s Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro claims the White House is seeking regime change instead of its stated goal of stopping drug trafficking.- Key figures at around 0815 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 49,001.50 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 25,447.44 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,876.37 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 9,791.00 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1735 from $1.1743 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3366 from $1.3379Dollar/yen: UP at 155.89 yen from 155.70Euro/pound: UP at 87.80 pence from 87.77West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $56.51 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $60.20 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,885.97 (close)

Taiwanese seafood trader Jay Yen used to import 2,000 tonnes of shrimp a year from Honduras before the Central American country cut diplomatic ties with the democratic island in 2023. Now, it is just the odd “container or two”, but that could change if Honduras’s next president acts on an election pledge to forge closer ties with Taiwan.The country’s decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing and scrap a free trade agreement with Taiwan was a huge blow for the Honduran shrimp industry.Imports plunged from around 13,000 tonnes in 2022 to nearly 4,000 tonnes in 2024, Taiwanese data shows, as 20 percent tariffs made Honduran shrimp more expensive.  A diplomatic reversal would be a “good thing” for business and Taiwanese consumers, Yen told AFP at the headquarters of his family-run company Yens in Taipei.”For us, we (would) have more choices to source white shrimp… And the end consumer will have more choices.”Nasry Asfura and Salvador Nasralla, who are neck and neck in the presidential race in Honduras, where vote counting is still underway, have both signalled support for switching ties from Beijing to Taipei.China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has been systematically poaching its few remaining diplomatic allies in an effort to isolate the island. A Honduran switch back would be a rare diplomatic win for Taiwan, but Taiwanese officials are responding cautiously.”We are taking a proactive and open attitude,” Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said recently in response to questions from lawmakers.Taiwan was in contact with Asfura and Nasralla’s teams, Lin said, but added: “Whatever we do must be beneficial to them and to us.”- Negotiating tactic? – Honduras’s move in 2023 to end decades of diplomatic relations with Taipei followed negotiations with China on building a hydroelectric dam.Taiwan said at the time that the switch was part of China’s “coercion and intimidation” of Taipei’s allies. China does not allow countries to maintain official ties with both Beijing and Taipei.Since then, China has expanded its economic influence over Honduras, but has drawn criticism for flooding the country with cheap goods, employing Chinese workers on infrastructure projects and failing to buy enough shrimp. It’s also cost tens of thousands of jobs as dozens of companies closed, said Javier Amador, executive director of the National Association of Aquaculturists of Honduras.Amador said shipments to Taiwan were more than six times the volume sent to China “even with the disadvantage of paying tariffs.”On the campaign trail, Nasralla said: “Taiwan has been our great ally for more than 60 years. What has China given us?”But the Honduran presidential candidates’ support for Taiwan could be a “negotiation tactic”, said Fabricio Fonseca, associate professor in the Department of Diplomacy at Taipei’s National Chengchi University. “If China is sensing that they are really serious about this, then, of course, there might be many offers that China can make,” Fonseca said.”If in the end, they (Asfura or Nasralla) decide not to stick to this campaign promise, they have something to show in return.”The United States could be a deciding factor if it were to help Taiwan woo back Honduras, he said.- ‘Good quality’ coffee – Honduran coffee trader Elias Argueta hopes his country renews ties with Taiwan, where he lives with his wife and young daughter.Argueta, 34, began importing beans directly from his parents’ farms in Honduras in 2020 into the Taiwanese market, where coffee from Guatemala and Colombia is popular. Since the diplomatic break-up, it has been harder to secure new customers because Taiwan’s government stopped promoting Honduran coffee beans.If relations are restored, “people will be more open to take Honduran coffee, and definitely the official channels will open again here in Taiwan,” Argueta said.”We do have a very good quality,” he added.Mending ties between Honduras and Taiwan would not mean an immediate snap back in trade volumes, said Yen, the seafood trader.However, it would provide the catalyst.”Even if Taiwan does rebuild the relationship with Honduras and sign a (free trade agreement), it might take at least six months to almost a year for the industry to rebuild, for us to restart the business,” Yen said.”But we’re looking forward to it.”

Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector’s colossal spending on artificial intelligence continued to dog investor sentiment.Hopes for an end-of-year rally have been dealt a blow after the Federal Reserve last week hinted that it could pause its interest rate cuts next month while more questions are being asked about the cash pumped into AI.While the US central bank’s three successive rate reductions have provided a boost to equities in the back end of the year, some fear that support will be taken away.Key US inflation data due later Thursday could provide some idea about officials’ plans after a jobs report Tuesday provided little clarity.Focus is now back on the tech sector amid rising speculation that a bubble has formed and could be close to popping. While software and chip firms have led a surge in markets to record highs this year, a growing number of investors are beginning to wonder whether their valuations have been stretched and are asking when the cash pumped into AI will start to see returns.Those worries were compounded Wednesday by a report that private capital group Blue Owl had pulled out of market giant Oracle’s $10 billion data centre, putting the project in doubt.That came after Oracle and chip giant Broadcom last week unveiled disappointing earnings reports.Oracle plunged more than five percent Wednesday, while Broadcom and other sector heavyweights, including Nvidia, Alphabet and Advanced Micro Devices, also tumbled.The Nasdaq on Wall Street dived 1.8 percent and the broader S&P 500 was off more than one percent.Michael Hewson at CMC Markets said the “surge in valuations has… prompted fears of a bubble in the sector with some wild swings in recent weeks on the back of some end-of-year profit taking”.He added that there was “some chatter that 2026 could prompt a bit of a reset when it comes to AI winners, and AI losers”.Asian markets tracked the US losses, led by tech firms including Japan’s Renesas and investment giant SoftBank.Tokyo shed more than one percent along with Seoul, while Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta were also in the red. Shanghai was flat.Oil prices rose more than one percent for a second successive day after Washington said US forces carried out a strike on a vessel it said was engaged in drug trafficking in the Pacific Ocean, killing four “narco-terrorists”.The move ramped up concerns about Donald Trump’s plans for Venezuela after he ordered a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers heading to and leaving the country.The US president’s Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro claims the White House is seeking regime change instead of its stated goal of stopping drug trafficking.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 49,006.89 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.2 percent at 25,414.87Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3,870.37Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1739 from $1.1743 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3367 from $1.3379Dollar/yen: UP at 155.78 yen from 155.70Euro/pound: UP at 87.82 pence from 87.77West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.7 percent at $56.90 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.6 percent at $60.61 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,885.97 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.9 percent at 9,774.32 (close)

Tech shares suffered another bout of weakness Wednesday on worries about an AI bubble, hitting US stocks as oil prices advanced following a US announcement of a blockade of tankers to Venezuela.The Nasdaq led major Wall Street indices lower following reports questioning the financing of an Oracle project to build a data center in Michigan.Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management described Oracle as “probably the poster child” for questions about AI project financing and profitability. “Investors are starting to be more differentiated and looking at the potential winners and the potential time frame before return on invested capital,” Hogan said. “That doesn’t mean we’re anywhere close to the final innings of artificial intelligence. It just means investors are being more discerning.”Besides Oracle, which fell 5.4 percent, other AI players such as Nvidia, Google parent Alphabet and Broadcom all lost more than three percent.While technology and communications services were among the sectors to retreat, energy led the winners among sectors moving higher.Oil prices rallied after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers heading to and leaving Venezuela.The commodity later pared some of its gains, but finished the day up more than one percent.Venezuela, which has the world’s largest proven oil reserves, shrugged off the threat of more pain, insisting that it was proceeding with business as usual.”Export operations for crude and byproducts continue normally. Oil tankers linked to PDVSA operations continue to sail with full security,” state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) said.In Europe, London’s stock market rallied as the pound faltered on expectations of cuts to Bank of England interest rates, after data showed UK inflation falling faster than forecast.Britain’s annual inflation rate slowed to 3.2 percent in November, cementing expectations that the Bank of England will cut its main interest rate on Thursday and again on more than one occasion in 2026.Analysts had expected inflation to have cooled only slightly to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in October.Eurozone inflation remained at 2.1 percent in November, hovering just above the target set by the European Central Bank, slightly revised official data showed Wednesday.The ECB is expected to hold interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth straight meeting with inflation in check, although debate is heating up about the path forward.Both the Paris and Frankfurt stock markets ended lower. Asian markets were mixed.In corporate news, the share price of Chinese chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits Shanghai soared more than 550 percent on its home-city debut Wednesday.Shares in Netflix climbed 0.2 percent after Warner Bros. Discovery rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount in favor of being acquired by the streaming giant.Shares in Warner Bros. Discovery shed 2.4 percent and shares in Paramount tumbled 5.4 percent.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent at 47,885.97 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.8 percent at 6,721.43 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.8 percent at 22,693.32 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.9 percent at 9,774.32 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,086.05 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,960.59 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 49,512.28 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.9 percent at 25,468.78 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,870.28 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1743 from $1.1747 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3379 from $1.3423Dollar/yen: UP at 155.70 yen from 154.72Euro/pound: UP at 87.77 pence from 87.51Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.3 percent at $59.68 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.2 percent at $55.94 per barrelburs-jmb/sla

Oil prices surged on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of “sanctioned” oil tankers heading to and leaving Venezuela.Both Brent and WTI contracts jumped more than two percent before paring gains.”The big news is the oil-price rally after President Donald Trump announced an oil blockade on Venezuela,” said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.”The news lifted shares in energy stocks in Europe — the likes of BP and Shell helping the UK’s FTSE 100 to outperform,” he added.Shares in both companies rose more than one percent.The gains for crude pared some of the 2.7 percent in losses suffered Tuesday after the US president said a deal to end the war in Ukraine was closer than ever.Such a development could ease sanctions on Russian oil, adding to oversupply concerns already weighing on the market.But Razaqzada noted there are reports that the Trump administration is preparing further sanctions on Russia’s oil sector in the event Russian President Vladimir Putin rejects a Ukraine peace deal.Stock indices opened higher on Wall Street, but turned lower as the morning wore on.”Investors are getting a little worried that maybe we are headed for at least economic softness, weakness, and hopefully not a recession,” said CFRA Research’s Sam Stovall.IG analyst Chris Beauchamp noted that tech shares were struggling once again, with AI chipmaker Nvidia and Google parent company Alphabet both lower.”Concerns about AI have reared their head again, weighing on sentiment just as the Santa rally was meant to get underway,” he said.In Europe, London’s stock market rallied as the pound faltered on expectations of cuts to Bank of England interest rates, after data showed UK inflation falling faster than forecast.Britain’s annual inflation rate slowed to 3.2 percent in November, cementing expectations that the Bank of England will cut its main interest rate on Thursday and again on more than one occasion in 2026.Analysts had expected inflation to have cooled only slightly to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in October.Eurozone inflation remained at 2.1 percent in November, hovering just above the target set by the European Central Bank, slightly revised official data showed Wednesday.The ECB is expected to hold interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth straight meeting with inflation in check, although debate is heating up about the path forward.Both the Paris and Frankfurt stock markets ended lower. Asian markets were mixed.Investors continued to study Tuesday’s release of US non-farm payrolls reports, which showed that unemployment in the world’s biggest economy had jumped to a four-year high of 4.6 percent in November.Analysts said the data did little to change expectations that the Federal Reserve would likely keep key US interest rates unchanged in January.Investors are now looking to consumer price inflation data due to be released on Friday.In corporate news, the share price of Chinese chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits Shanghai soared more than 550 percent on its home-city debut Wednesday.Shares in Netflix climbed 1.1 percent after Warner Bros. Discovery rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount in favour of being acquired by the streaming giant.Shares in Warner Bros. Discovery shed 1.3 percent and shares in Paramount tumbled almost five percent.- Key figures at around 1630 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 48,003.15 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.8 percent at 6,749.47New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 22,844.55London – FTSE 100: UP 0.9 percent at 9,774.32 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,086.05 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.5 percent at 23,960.59 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 49,512.28 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.9 percent at 25,468.78 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,870.28 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1750 from $1.1747 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3392 from $1.3422Dollar/yen: UP at 155.56 yen from 154.80Euro/pound: UP at 87.75 pence from 87.52Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.8 percent at $59.95 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.8 percent at $56.10 per barrelburs-rl/db

Equities mostly rose Wednesday even as US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut next month, while oil rallied after President Donald Trump ordered the blockade of “sanctioned” Venezuelan tankers.With Federal Reserve officials indicating they were unlikely to lower borrowing costs for a fourth successive meeting, sentiment on trading floors has been subdued of late, compounded by worries over tech valuations and AI spending.Focus had been on the delayed release of key non-farm payrolls reports, which showed Tuesday that the unemployment rate had jumped to a four-year high of 4.6 percent in November, reinforcing views that the US labour market was slowing.However, a forecast-beating 105,000 drop in jobs in October was blamed on the extended government shutdown — with many expected to return — while November’s rise of 64,000 was more than estimated.Analysts said the figures did little to move the dial on rate-cut bets, with Bloomberg saying markets had priced in about a 20 percent chance of such a move next month.”The bleed higher in the unemployment rate plays to the (Fed policy board’s) concern about the labour market, which has supported the adjustment over the past three meetings,” wrote National Australia Bank senior economist Taylor Nugent.”But it is unlikely to be enough to push them to further near-term easing,” he added. “It would take another jump (in unemployment) next month to shift things much on a January cut.”Wall Street investors largely shrugged at the data, with many concerned that the tech-led rally over the past two years may have gone too far and that the vast sums invested in AI might not see returns as soon as hoped.Asian markets, having dropped at the start of the week, struggled early on Wednesday, but some managed to dig out gains.Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta rose, but Sydney, Singapore, Taipei, Mumbai and Wellington fell.London rose as data showed UK inflation slowed at a faster pace than expected in November, while Paris and Frankfurt also edged up.Oil prices jumped more than one percent after Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was “ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela”.The announcement sharply escalates his campaign against the country — while issuing new demands for Venezuelan crude — after months of building military forces in the Caribbean with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking in Latin America.Caracas views the operation as a pressure campaign to oust leftist strongman Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington and many nations view as an illegitimate president.The gains pared some of the 2.7 percent in losses suffered Tuesday after the US president said a deal to end the war in Ukraine was closer than ever.An end to the war could ease sanctions on Russian oil, adding to oversupply concerns already weighing on the market.On currency markets, the yen strengthened further against the dollar following the US jobs data and days before the Bank of Japan is expected to hike interest rates to a 30-year high on Friday.And the Indian rupee surged one percent following the central bank’s intervention to provide support a day after the unit hit a new record low against the dollar.The rupee has been hammered this year — making it Asia’s worst forex performer — on worries about the delay in striking a trade deal with the United States as well as a current account deficit and foreign outflows. It strengthened to 89.9662 to the greenback, from more than 91 earlier in the day.In corporate news, Chinese chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits Shanghai soared more than 550 percent on its home city debut Wednesday, having raised $585.8 million in an initial public offering.The jump comes after semiconductor company Moore Threads also rocketed more than 500 percent on its first day earlier in the month, having taken $1.1 billion in its IPO.Shares in Hong Kong’s biggest licensed cryptocurrency exchange, HashKey, retreated around two percent on their first day of trading, following an IPO that brought in $205 million.- Key figures at around 0815 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 49,512.28 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.9 percent at 25,468.78 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,870.28 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 9,759.85 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 155.50 yen from 154.80 on TuesdayEuro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1712 from $1.1747 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3324 from $1.3422Euro/pound: UP at 87.92 pence from 87.52West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.6 percent at $56.13 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.5 percent at $59.81 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 48,114.26 (close)

Asian equities fluctuated on Wednesday as mixed US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut next month, while oil rallied after Donald Trump ordered the blockade of “sanctioned” Venezuelan tankers.With Federal Reserve officials indicating they were unlikely to lower borrowing costs for a fourth successive meeting, sentiment on trading floors has been subdued of late, compounded by worries over tech valuations and AI spending.Focus had been on the delayed release of key non-farm payrolls reports, which showed Tuesday that the unemployment rate had jumped to a four-year high of 4.6 percent in November, reinforcing views that the labour market was slowing.However, a forecast-beating 105,000 drop in jobs in October was blamed on the extended government shutdown — with many expected to return — while November’s rise of 64,000 was more than estimated.Analysts said the figures did little to move the dial on rate-cut bets, with Bloomberg saying markets had priced in about a 20 percent chance of such a move next month.”The bleed higher in the unemployment rate plays to the (Fed policy board’s) concern about the labour market, which has supported the adjustment over the past three meetings,” wrote National Australia Bank senior economist Taylor Nugent. “But it is unlikely to be enough to push them to further near-term easing,” he added. “It would take another jump (in unemployment) next month to shift things much on a January cut.”Wall Street investors largely shrugged at the data, with many concerned that the tech-led rally over the past two years may have gone too far and that the vast sums invested in AI might not see returns as soon as hoped.Asian markets, having dropped at the start of the week, struggled to make big inroads higher.Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta rose, but Hong Kong and Shanghai were flat, while Sydney, Singapore and Wellington fell.Oil prices jumped more than one percent after Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he was “ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela”.The announcement sharply escalates his campaign against the country — while issuing new demands for the country’s crude — after months of building military forces in the Caribbean with the stated goal of combating drug trafficking in Latin America.Caracas views the operation as a pressure campaign to oust leftist strongman Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington and many nations view as an illegitimate president.The gains pared some of the 2.7 percent in losses suffered Tuesday after the US president said a deal to end the war in Ukraine was closer than ever.An end to the war could ease sanctions on Russian oil, adding to oversupply concerns already weighing on the market.On currency markets, the yen strengthened further against the dollar following the US jobs data and days before the Bank of Japan is expected to hike interest rates to a 30-year high on Friday.In corporate news, Chinese chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits Shanghai soared more than 550 percent on its home city debut Wednesday, having raised $585.8 million in an initial public offering. The jump comes after semiconductor company Moore Threads also rocketed more than 500 percent on its first day earlier in the month, having taken $1.1 billion in its IPO.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.4 percent at 49,553.71 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 25,239.12Shanghai – Composite: FLAT at 3,825.79Dollar/yen: DOWN at 154.52 yen from 154.80 on TuesdayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1751 from $1.1747 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3424 from $1.3422Euro/pound: UP at 87.54 pence from 87.52West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.2 percent at $55.91 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.1 percent at $59.53 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 48,114.26 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 9,684.79 (close) 

Stock markets mostly fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on renewed hopes for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.The US Labor Department reported that unemployment climbed to 4.6 percent in November, its highest level in four years.The report, delayed by a lengthy government shutdown, also indicated that the US economy lost 105,000 jobs in October.Hiring picked up again in November to 64,000, but this was still a slower pace than before.”Today’s US data releases were overall weaker than expected, although not as bad as some had feared either,” said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.He noted that market expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in March increased to 60 percent after the jobs report, up from around 50 percent.While poor data boosting the chance of interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve can often prop up stocks, Wall Street’s main indices pushed lower on signs of a weaker economy.Separate data showed US retail sales held stable in October, while analysts had been looking for a small gain, and September’s rise was revised down to 0.1 percent.But eToro analyst Bret Kenwell pointed out that part of the report that is used for calculating gross domestic product hit its highest level since the summer.”Today’s update underscores two themes that have been in place: A resilient consumer and a cooling labor market,” he said.Meanwhile, the Brent international oil benchmark dropped below $60 per barrel for the first time since May, while the main US crude contract, the WTI, briefly fell below $55 per barrel for the first time since 2021.A deal to end the war in Ukraine could ease sanctions on Russian oil, adding to oversupply concerns already weighing on the market.US President Donald Trump said Monday that a deal to end the war was closer than ever, after Washington said it offered Kyiv NATO-like security guarantees and voiced confidence Moscow would accept.Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, also pointed out that prices on Middle Eastern oil for immediate trade are lower than those for futures contracts. “When this happens, expectations are that future prices will fall back towards spot price levels, which can aggravate price declines,” she said.European defense stocks slid Tuesday following the update on the talks, analysts said. “A peace deal between Russia and Ukraine looks to be back on the agenda but there have already been multiple false dawns this year,” noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown.Weak UK jobs data strengthened expectations that the Bank of England will trim borrowing costs on Thursday. The European Central Bank is set to hold interest rates steady this week.The yen held gains against the dollar ahead of an expected rate hike by the Bank of Japan on Friday.Among individual companies, Pfizer fell 3.4 percent after it projected a dip in full-year adjusted profits per share on roughly flat revenues. The big drugmaker is ramping up investments in new products to offset declines in Covid-19 revenues.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 48,114.26 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.2 percent at 6,800.26 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite:  UP 0.2 percent at 23.111.46 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 9,684.79 (close) Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 8,106.16 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.6 percent at 24,076.87 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.6 percent at 49,383.29 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.5 percent at 25,235.41 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 1.1 percent at 3,824.81 (close)Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1747 from $1.1753 on MondayDollar/yen: DOWN at 154.80 yen from 155.23Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3422 from $1.3376Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.52 pence from 87.86Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.7 percent at $58.92 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.7 percent at $55.27 per barrelburs-jmb/des

China will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, but at lower rates than temporary levies in place since September, Beijing announced Tuesday.The two economic powerhouses have been locked in a trade spat fuelled by what many European countries view as an unbalanced economic relationship with China.The levies come after a probe launched by China last year concluded that European pork imports “were being dumped, and the domestic industry suffered substantial damages” as a result, the commerce ministry said in a statement Tuesday.The duties will range from 4.9 percent to 19.8 percent — down from temporary levies of 15.6 to 62.4 percent — and will be applied from December 17, it said.”At present, the domestic industry is facing difficulties, and there are strong calls for protection,” a commerce ministry spokesperson said.They added that the investigation’s conclusions were “objective, fair, and impartial”.The agriculture minister of Spain — Europe’s top producer of pork and its derivatives — said Spanish exporters faced an average duty of 9.8 percent, below an overall average of 19 percent.The measures were therefore “acceptable” for Spain and the result “minimised”, Luis Planas told reporters in Madrid.China, the world’s leading consumer of pork, imported 4.3 billion yuan ($600 million) in pork products from Spain alone last year, according to official Chinese customs data.France, meanwhile, exported 115,000 tonnes of pork to China in 2024, according to industry association Inaporc.The French pork industry welcomed Beijing’s decision, with Inaporc describing it as “a relief” for domestic producers.French companies were previously subjected to a provisional duty rate up to 62.4 percent for some products and an average 20 percent for others, Inaporc said.According to the new measures, Groupe Bigard, a major French pork producer, will be charged 9.8 percent, while Danish Crown will be hit with an 18.6 percent levy.- ‘Bargaining chip’ -The current trade spat erupted last summer when the EU moved towards imposing hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that Beijing’s subsidies were unfairly undercutting European competitors.Beijing denied that claim and announced what were widely seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and dairy products.Giuseppe Aloisio, general director of the Spanish meat industry association Anice, told AFP the measure was “unfair” and “punishes an exemplary industry for no reason”.It was “unacceptable that our sector is used as a bargaining chip in a trade dispute — that of electric vehicles — that has absolutely nothing to do with us,” said Aloisio.European producers criticised the imposition of temporary duties on pork in September, denying the dumping allegations.They argued that Chinese consumers pay more than Europeans for products that the latter often ignore, such as pigs’ trotters or ears.The EU ran a trade deficit of more than $350 billion with China in 2024.French President Emmanuel Macron said this month that Europe would consider adopting strong measures against China, including tariffs, if the trade imbalance was not addressed.Alongside trade frictions, China and the EU are at odds on issues such as Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.The EU has urged China to exert pressure on Moscow to end the war, but Beijing has shown no sign of acceding.