04/07/2023
Today’s Announcements & News
Asia
Asia-Pacific markets experienced gains as investors processed manufacturing activity reports indicating a slowdown in output across the region.
China’s Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) for June came in at 50.5, slightly surpassing expectations of 50.2 from a Reuters poll. However, China’s official government PMI readings reflected a third consecutive month of contraction.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index rose 2.2% during Tuesday’s afternoon session, leading the gains in the region, while the Hang Seng Tech index surged nearly 4%.
Mainland China markets also saw an increase, with the Shanghai Composite gaining 1.31% to close at 3,243.98, and the Shenzhen Component rising 0.6% to end the day at 11,091.56.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 led the gains, rising 1.7% and reaching a new 33-year high of 33,753.33. The Topix also increased by 1.41%, closing at 2,320.81. South Korea’s Kospi climbed 1.49%, ending at 2,602.47 and extending its rebound from Friday, while the Kosdaq rose 2.42% to finish at 889.29. Private surveys for South Korea and Japan also indicated a slowdown in factory activity for the month.
US
In a shortened session that marked the beginning of the second half of the year, stocks rose slightly on Monday, continuing the positive trend experienced on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 10.87 points, or 0.03%, to close at 34,418.47. The S&P 500 climbed 0.12% to end at 4,455.59, while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.21% to reach 13,816.77.
The U.S. markets closed early in preparation for the Fourth of July holiday and remained closed on Tuesday.
Shares of Tesla saw a significant increase of 6.9% after the electric vehicle maker reported delivery and production numbers that exceeded analysts’ expectations. Other electric vehicle stocks, including Rivian, Fisker, and Lucid, also experienced gains in tandem.
The start of the new trading month, quarter, and half coincided with Monday’s session. The Nasdaq Composite closed out its largest first-half gain since 1983, surging by 31.7%, while the S&P 500 achieved a 15.9% increase, marking its best first-half performance since 2019. The Dow Jones Industrial Average had a more modest climb of 3.8% during the same period.
These gains were driven by the enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence, which boosted tech stocks. Additionally, recent data indicating the resilience of the U.S. economy despite higher interest rates contributed to positive investor sentiment, alleviating some concerns on Wall Street about an anticipated downturn.
Commodity
On Monday, oil prices rebounded after early losses driven by concerns about a slowing global economy and potential U.S. interest rate hikes. The announcement of supply cuts by top exporters Saudi Arabia and Russia for August provided support to prices.
Saudi Arabia stated that it would extend its voluntary production cut of one million barrels per day (bpd) for another month, including August.
Brent crude futures increased by 0.6%, or 43 cents, to $75.84 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose by 0.6%, or 39 cents, to $71.03. During Friday’s session, Brent rose by 0.8% and WTI by 1.1%.
Gold prices also rose on Monday as the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields retreated due to weaker economic readings, leading to doubts about the Federal Reserve’s hawkish policy outlook.
Spot gold increased by 0.3% to $1,925.85 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures gained 0.2% to $1,934.10. However, gold experienced a decline of 2.5% in the second quarter of the year (April to June).
The above analysis is only for the views of market researchers and is for reference only and is not regarded as a specific investment suggestion.
