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Informist, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025                                      Tel +91 (22) 6985-4000

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Equity Alert: Most Asia indices up; Australia, Japan mkts hit record highs

 

MUMBAI--0812 IST--Most Asia-Pacific indices were higher in early trade Tuesday, with both the Australian and Japanese markets hitting all-time highs, as investors in the region assessed the US extended the tariff truce with China till Nov. 10. Gains on the Japanese bourses were led by technology stocks. China's CSI 300 was up 0.6?ter the tariff extension.

 

Japanese stocks rose after Japan and the US partially addressed their dispute on how to execute a trade deal reached on Jul. 22, with the US agreeing to revise its executive order so that Japan's "reciprocal" tariff is calculated in a way that results in a lower effective rate, The Japan Times reported. SoftBank Group soared 7?ter Reuters reported the conglomerate was selecting banks for a US listing of its payments app operator PayPay. Semiconductor heavyweights Advantest and Lasertec jumped more than 5?ch. Japan's Nikkei 225 and Topix were up 2.4% and 1.4%, respectively.

 

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 also rose to a record high ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's policy decision later in the day. The index was up 0.1%. The central bank is expected to cut rates by 25 basis points, having lowered rates by 50 bps already in 2025. Gains in the Australian market were led by financials and discretionary stocks, with Star Entertainment jumping nearly 30%, Reuters reported. 

 

At 0802 IST, the FTSE Singapore Straits Times was down 0.3% and was the only index in the red.

 

Following are the levels of key Asian indices at 0802 IST:

 

INDEX	LEVEL	CHANGE IN %
CSI 300 Index	4146.6012	0.58
Hang Seng Index	24906.78	0
Nikkei 225 Day	42823.29	2.40
TOPIX FIRST SECTION	3067.47	1.43
KOSPI	3231.58	0.77
FTSE Singapore Straits Times	4221.41	(-)0.27
S&P/ASX 200 Index	8855.80	0.12

 

(Akash Mandal)

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Equity Alert: US indices end lower on caution ahead of inflation data

 

MUMBAI--0800 IST--Indices in the US ended lower Monday in a choppy session as investors were cautious ahead of the July inflation data, due later in the day. Investors assessed tariff-related developments after US President Donald Trump officially extended a truce with China over tariffs by another 90 days, hours before triple-digit tariffs were to take effect on the Asian country. Traders also await talks between the US and Russia, scheduled for Friday, to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

 

Investors especially await the US inflation data, which will lend cues on when the Federal Reserve is likely to cut interest rates again. A majority of traders expect at least a 25-basis-point rate cut in the Fed's September meeting amid a set of adverse economic data over the past month, especially the non-farm payrolls data. The CME Fedwatch tool showed an 85% probability of a 25-bps rate cut in September, lower than 89?ay ago and further lower than the 90% probability a week ago.

 

"If, however, softer US CPI readings materialise, including the core goods figures, this would likely challenge the dollar too by supporting the case for further Fed easing, and perhaps see greater criticism from the US administration towards Fed Chair Powell," Reuters reported Paul Mackel, global head of foreign exchange research at HSBC, as saying.

 

CFRA Research's Sam Stovall, however, said the expectations of the market are too high. "I'm getting a little concerned that the market is going to end up being disappointed...the Fed will have a conundrum to deal with if inflation remains sticky and if the consumer remains willing to spend — where is the need to cut rates?" CNBC reported Stovall as saying. 

 

On the stocks front, healthcare company Owens & Minor plunged 35?ter it said that stranded costs will continue to rise, and it will focus on reducing such costs to improve profits, CNBC reported. Elf Beauty surged 10?ter Morgan Stanley upgraded the beauty brand to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight'. Hershey's fell 5?ter cocoa futures surged 10%. The likes of BlackRock, Electronic Arts, eBay, Cummins, and Nasdaq, all hit new all-time lows during the session. 

 

Global brokerage UBS raised its price target for the S&P 500 to 6100 from 5500 by the end of 2025. "This (geopolitical headwinds) drives us to call the market lower in the near term and to expect it to remain below current levels even by end 2025...we then see a smart recovery in H2 2026," it said.

 

Following are the closing levels of US indices Monday:

 

INDEX	LAST LEVEL	CHANGE IN %
Dow Jones Industrial Average	43975.09	(-)0.45
NASDAQ Composite	21385.404	(-)0.30
S&P 500	6373.45	(-)0.25

 

(Akash Mandal)

 

US$1 = INR 87.66

 

End

 

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

All prices from National Stock Exchange, unless otherwise specified.

All percentage changes for share prices are rounded off to the nearest whole number; percentage changes for index values are rounded off to one decimal place.

All times are Indian Standard Time.

 

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