Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.60%, Shanghai Composite down -0.63%, Hang Seng down -1.36% ASX up 0.14%
- Commodities : Gold at $3,445.82 (0.37%), Silver at $38.855 (0.42%), Brent Oil at $66.86 (-0.52%), WTI Oil at $63.54 (-0.95%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.219, UK 10-year yield at 4.7350, Germany 10-year yield at 2.6940
News & Data:
- (USD) Crude Oil Inventories -2.4M to -1.7M expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are mostly higher on Thursday, tracking gains from Wall Street, as investors remain optimistic the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut rates at its September meeting. Traders, however, remain cautious ahead of key U.S. economic data, including second-quarter GDP and inflation figures. On Wednesday, Asian markets ended mixed.
The CME FedWatch Tool shows an 87 percent chance of a quarter-point rate cut. While many expect short-term easing, some fear U.S. policy interference could raise long-term borrowing costs.
In Australia, stocks are slightly lower despite Wall Street’s positive lead. The S&P/ASX 200 slipped 4 points, or 0.05 percent, to 8,956.50, with losses in miners, energy, and tech offset by gains in financials. Rio Tinto and BHP are down nearly 1 percent, while Fortescue rose 1.5 percent. Oil names such as Woodside and Beach Energy tumbled, while Commonwealth Bank and NAB advanced.
Several corporate updates moved markets: IDP Education soared 32 percent on stronger-than-expected results, Qantas jumped 9 percent on record profit, and Eagers Automotive rose 14 percent on EV demand. Conversely, Ramsay Healthcare fell 12 percent, and Telix Pharmaceuticals plunged 19 percent on FDA concerns.
In Japan, the Nikkei climbed 0.5 percent to 42,731, led by SoftBank, automakers, and financials. Elsewhere, China, Singapore, and South Korea edged higher, while Hong Kong and Taiwan declined.
On Wall Street, all three major indexes closed modestly higher, with the S&P 500 marking a fresh record.
Upcoming Events:
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Prelim GDP q/q
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Unemployment Claims
The post Thursday 28th August 2025: Asia Stocks Mixed on Fed Cut Hopes first appeared on IC Markets | Official Blog.