Asian shares are mostly higher after US stocks rise to the brink of a record
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Asian were mostly higher on Friday after U.S. stocks ran up to the edge of another record. U.S. futures and oil prices also logged slight gains.
Investors were watching for further details after President Donald Trump said the U.S. and China had signed a trade deal. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in an interview on Bloomberg TV that the deal was signed two days ago, but he gave no details, saying 'The president likes to close these deals himself.'
Worries about Trump's higher tariffs have receded since the president shocked the world in April with stiff proposed levies, but they have not disappeared. The wait is still on to see how big the tariffs will ultimately be, how much they will hurt the economy and how much they will push up inflation.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was barely changed at 24,333.43, while the Shanghai Composite index lost 0.2% to 3,441.30.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index surged 1.6% to 40,215.36 as the government reported that consumer prices eased slightly in May.
South Korea's KOSPI Composite Index slid 0.7% to 3,050.01.
Markets have settled somewhat after the upheavals of the Israel-Iran war and its aftermath.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 climbed 0.8% to 6,141.02 and was sitting just 0.05% below its all-time closing high set in February. It briefly topped the mark during the afternoon in the latest milestone for the index at the heart of many 401(k) accounts, which had dropped roughly 20% below its record during the spring on worries about President Donald Trump's tariffs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 0.9% to 43,386.84, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1% to 20,167.91. Reports Thursday added to evidence the U.S. economy is holding up despite higher tariffs and other challenges, though it has slowed. Orders for washing machines and other manufactured goods that last at least three years grew by more last month than economists expected. Another report said fewer U.S. workers filed for unemployment benefits last week, a potential signal of fewer layoffs.
A third report said the U.S. economy shrank by more during the first three months of 2025 than earlier estimated. But many economists say those numbers were distorted by a surge in imports as companies tried to get ahead of tariffs. They're expecting a better performance in upcoming months.
Following the reports, Treasury yields swiveled up and down in the bond market before easing.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.24% from 4.29% late Wednesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, fell to 3.71% from 3.74% late Wednesday.
Analysts said yields may have felt pressure because of a report from The Wall Street Journal saying Trump could name his nominee to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell unusually early, in an attempt to undermine him. That could hurt confidence among investors about the Fed's capability to make unpopular decisions when it comes to fighting inflation.
On Wall Street, spices company McCormick jumped 5.3% after delivering a better-than-expected profit report and giving a full-year profit forecast that topped analysts' expectations, including planned efforts to offset increased costs caused by tariffs.
Over the longer term, it's been big technology stocks that have led the market for years and since the S&P 500 hit a trough in April.
Chip company Nvidia, which has been the poster child of the frenzy around artificial-intelligence technology, added 0.5%. It's the most valuable company in the U.S. stock market after rushing 61% higher since April 8, towering over the S&P 500's gain of 23%. Another AI darling, Super Micro Computer, rose 5.7% to bring its gain since April 8 to 55%.
In other dealings early Friday, the U.S. benchmark crude gained 35 cents to $65.59 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added 36 cents to $67.05 per barrel
The U.S. dollar rose to 144.45 Japanese yen from 144.40 yen. The euro fell to $1.1699 from $1.1703.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
This Stock Is Up 55,000% Since Its IPO: Here's 1 Reason It Could Still Be a Smart Buy
History may not always repeat, but the past can serve as a guide. For investors, looking at previous market winners might help us identify stocks that could outperform from here. In that vein, consider a leading niche retailer that usually flies under the radar. As of this writing, this retailer's stock is up by more than 55,000% since its initial public offering in April 1993. In just the last five years, it's up by 213%. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More » Yet even after those monster gains, there's one reason why it could still be a smart buy. A favorable tailwind that drives demand The modern world is constantly being reshaped by the forces of cutting-edge technology -- cloud computing, AI, digital payments, and e-commerce to name just a few. And those technologies are providing serious tailwinds to many of the businesses connected to them. O'Reilly Automotive 's(NASDAQ: ORLY) business doesn't fall into any of these high-tech buckets. However, one understated tailwind will continue to benefit this aftermarket auto parts retailer. A recent report released by S&P Global showed that the average age of vehicles on the road in the U.S. is now 12.8 years. This figure has climbed for eight straight years. While that secular trend may not be as exciting as the others mentioned, it will be a reliable boon for O'Reilly. It sells various products, including motor oil, air filters, brake pads, floor mats, and batteries, among many other things, to both do-it-yourselfers and professional mechanics. Aftermarket is the key thing investors should remember -- these are products that aren't usually made by the original car manufacturers. Consumers shop at O'Reilly to extend the lives of their vehicles. More mileage means more upkeep The greater the mileage is on a car, the more upkeep it will require. Natural wear and tear isn't hard to understand. But most car warranties expire after three to five years, after which whatever goes wrong is strictly the owner's problem. As cars stay on the road for more years and more miles, demand gets stronger for the stuff that O'Reilly sells. The macroeconomic environment is also helping the retailer. With interest rates on auto loans at some of their highest levels in the past decade and other material and labor costs up as well, buying a car is less affordable. This incentivizes people to spend money on repairing the vehicles they already own. These trends have shown up in O'Reilly's financial performance. In 2024, the company reported a same-store sales increase of 2.9%. That was its 32nd straight year of growth, which is unheard of for any retailer. This demonstrates the company's ability to thrive regardless of economic conditions. O'Reilly is a winner, but can the good times continue? There's a lot to like about this company. Steady demand that propels revenue and earnings higher is undoubtedly one reason that O'Reilly should be on your investing radar. Management has also aggressively used its free cash flow to buy back stock. In the past five years, O'Reilly has reduced its outstanding share count by 24%. However, the valuation isn't cheap, and that's my main concern. Its current price-to-earnings ratio of 32.8 is 36% higher than its trailing 10-year average, so I'm waiting for this multiple to come down before I even consider adding O'Reilly to my portfolio. But given the company's impressive track record, other investors might have a different view. Should you invest $1,000 in O'Reilly Automotive right now? Before you buy stock in O'Reilly Automotive, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and O'Reilly Automotive wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $704,676!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $950,198!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to175%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends S&P Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Senators prep for a weekend of work to meet Trump's deadline for passing his tax and spending cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected to grind through a rare weekend session as Republicans race to pass President Donald Trump's package of tax breaks and spending cuts by his July Fourth deadline. Republicans are using their majorities in Congress to push aside Democratic opposition, but they have run into a series of political and policy setbacks. Not all GOP lawmakers are on board with proposals to reduce spending on Medicaid, food stamps and other programs as a way to help cover the cost of extending some $3.8 trillion in Trump tax breaks. The 940-page bill was released shortly before midnight Friday. Senators were expected to take a procedural vote Saturday to begin debate on the legislation, but the timing was uncertain and there is a long path ahead, with at least 10 hours of debate time and an all-night voting session on countless amendments. Senate passage could be days away, and the bill would need to return to the House for a final round of votes before it could reach the White House. 'It's evolving,' said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., as he prepared to close up the chamber late Friday. The weekend session could be a make-or-break moment for Trump's party, which has invested much of its political capital on his signature domestic policy plan. Trump is pushing Congress to wrap it up, even as he sometimes gives mixed signals, allowing for more time. At recent events at the White House, including Friday, Trump has admonished the 'grandstanders' among GOP holdouts to fall in line. 'We can get it done,' Trump said in a social media post. 'It will be a wonderful Celebration for our Country.' The legislation is an ambitious but complicated series of GOP priorities. At its core, it would make permanent many of the tax breaks from Trump's first term that would otherwise expire by year's end if Congress fails to act, resulting in a potential tax increase on Americans. The bill would add new breaks, including no taxes on tips, and commit $350 billion to national security, including for Trump's mass deportation agenda. But the spending cuts that Republicans are relying on to offset the lost tax revenues are causing dissent within the GOP ranks. Some lawmakers say the cuts go too far, particularly for people receiving health care through Medicaid. Meanwhile, conservatives, worried about the nation's debt, are pushing for steeper cuts. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he is concerned about the fundamentals of the package and will not support the procedural motion to begin debate. 'I'm voting no on the motion to proceed,' he said. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., pushing for deeper cuts, said he needed to see the final legislative text. The release of that draft had been delayed as the Senate parliamentarian reviewed the bill to ensure it complied with the chamber's strict 'Byrd Rule,' named for the late Sen. Robert C. Byrd, It largely bars policy matters from inclusion in budget bills unless a provision can get 60 votes to overcome objections. That would be a tall order in a Senate with a 53-47 GOP edge and Democrats unified against Trump's bill. Republicans suffered a series of setbacks after several proposals were determined to be out of compliance by the chief arbiter of the Senate's rules. One plan would have shifted some food stamp costs from the federal government to the states; a second would have gutted the funding structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But over the past days, Republicans have quickly revised those proposals and reinstated them. The final text includes a proposal for cuts to a Medicaid provider tax that had run into parliamentary objections and opposition from several senators worried about the fate of rural hospitals. The new version extends the start date for those cuts and establishes a $25 billion fund to aid rural hospitals and providers. Most states impose the provider tax as a way to boost federal Medicaid reimbursements. Some Republicans argue that is a scam and should be abolished. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that under the House-passed version of the bill, some 10.9 million more people would go without health care and at least 3 million fewer would qualify for food aid. The CBO has not yet publicly assessed the Senate draft, which proposes steeper reductions. Top income-earners would see about a $12,000 tax cut under the House bill, while the poorest Americans would face a $1,600 tax increase, the CBO said. One unresolved issue remains the so-called SALT provision, a deduction for state and local taxes that has been a top priority of lawmakers from New York and other high-tax states. The cap is now $10,000. The White House and House Republicans had narrowed in on a plan for a $40,000 cap, but for five years instead of 10. Republican senators says that's too generous. At least one House GOP holdout, Rep. Nick LaLota of New York, said he cannot support the compromise. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Republicans are rushing to finish the bill before the public fully knows what's in it. 'There's no good reason for Republicans to chase a silly deadline,' Schumer said. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who sent his colleagues home for the weekend with plans to be on call to return to Washington, said they are 'very close' to finishing up. 'We would still like to meet that July Fourth, self-imposed deadline,' said Johnson, R-La. With the narrow Republicans majorities in the House and Senate, leaders need almost every lawmaker on board to ensure passage. Johnson and Thune have stayed close to the White House, relying on Trump to pressure holdout lawmakers. ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.
Edmonton Journal
3 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
What is Canada's digital services tax and why is it infuriating Trump?
Article content U.S. President Donald Trump abruptly cut off all trade negotiations with Canada on Friday, citing Ottawa's Digital Services Tax (DST) for the decision. The tax, enacted last June, targets U.S. technology companies that operate in Canada but pay little tax here. Under the new tax regime, the first payments are set to be collected on Monday, June 30. The Financial Post breaks down what you need to know about the DST and why it is infuriating Trump and Americans.
