Defying missile jitters: Asian markets rally on AI profits ahead of critical US inflation data

Market news for August 12, 2026: Geopolitical tensions boosted oil and gold, Asian shares gained, driven by South Korean strength and Foxconn’s 35 per cent profit jump. Investors await critical US inflation data following a North Korean missile launch. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bel…

European stocks climb on energy boost as Middle East tensions keep Asia on edge

Market news for August 11, 2026: European markets edged higher, bolstered by energy stocks, while Asian indices remained cautious amid persistent Middle East uncertainty. As investors monitor global inflation and interest rate trajectories, oil and gold prices climbed, reflecting the ongoing, fragi…

Greed is bad, patience is good: Walter de Oude's case for tuning out the noise

Is the market caught in a volatility trap, or witnessing a fundamental pivot? Howie Lim and Chocolate Finance founder Walter de Oude get down to brass tacks: From the geopolitical tug-of-war at the Strait of Hormuz and AI investment anxiety to the Federal Reserve’s next move. What’s really driving …

Asian markets retreat as AI rally fades; focus shifts to US labour data

Market news for August 6, 2026: Asian shares retreated, snapping AI-driven gains as tech sector weakness mirrored Wall Street’s pullback. Amidst cautious sentiment and stable oil, investors are now pivoting focus to critical US labor data, weighing recessionary risks against the prospect of Septemb…

Oil tumbles on Iran diplomacy hopes, Kospi soars on AI optimism

Market news for August 5, 2026: Asian shares climbed sharply today, following Wall Street's record-breaking rally, with technology shares leading the gains. Oil prices tumbled more than 5%, its lowest in three weeks over easing concerns on global oil supplies. And, the Japanese yen strengthened sli…

Choppy seas: Oil prices rally on Hormuz attacks as South Korea tightens curbs on risky retail bets

Market news for August 4, 2026: Asian markets remained choppy as investors balanced strong US earnings against rising oil prices fuelled by Hormuz attacks, while South Korea implemented new curbs to manage stock market volatility today. Plus, gold and oil rally. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a c…

AI skepticism hits Asian equities as Middle East peace hopes propel European gains

Market news for August 3, 2026: Asian stocks struggled amid AI trade skepticism and capital spending fears, while European shares climbed on Middle East peace hopes. Oil prices fell and the yen strengthened after joint intervention. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Bus…

Chips up, Meta down and a Fed on hold: making sense of a week that went in every direction

In this episode of Market Focus Weekly, St. James’s Place Martin Hennecke joins us to unpack the week of corporate earnings and market movements. We examine the impact of the conflicting outlooks for AI-related capital expendituremeans for investors, where opportunities remain in the AI trade, and …

Record Samsung earnings fail to lift Kospi, Oil rallies on renewed conflict

Market news for July 30, 2026: Asian markets traded mixed today, with the South Korean Kospi falling again despite record profits from chipmaking giant Samsung Electronics. The US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, while sending mixed signals on the direction of interest which disappoin…

AI anxiety extends Asia chip sell-off; Oil climbs on renewed Iran tensions

Market news for July 29, 2026:  Asian technology shares extended their sell-off today, taking its cue from another steep decline in US chip stocks overnight. South Korea’s Kospi led declines, triggering a trading halt for the second straight session. Oil prices rose after US Central Command said Ir…