Learning archive

China prods insurers to invest billions in latest move to support markets
  • January 22, 2025

China prods insurers to invest billions in latest move to support markets

SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) -China announced plans on Thursday to channel hundreds of billions of yuan of investment from state-owned insurers into shares as part of the government's latest efforts to support a struggling stock market. The plan by the country's six financial regulators including the securities regulator was first announced on Wednesday just as Donald Trump begins a second stint as U.S. President. Coming soon after Trump's threat to slap a 10% punitive duty on Chinese imports, the coordinated moves underlined Beijing's intent to prop up markets in what could be a fractious geopolitical setting.

Read More
China's shot in the arm for markets
  • January 22, 2025

China's shot in the arm for markets

After drowning for days in headlines about Donald Trump's return to the White House, investors were delivered a bit of a diversion on Thursday with the announcement of new Chinese measures to boost its ailing stock market. Beijing plans to channel hundreds of billions of yuan per year from state-owned insurers' funds into the stock market, including at least 100 billion yuan ($13.75 billion) in the first half of this year, according to China Securities Regulatory Commission head Wu Qing. Chinese authorities are urgently trying to shore up their sagging stock markets, where the main benchmarks have fallen 3% so far this month despite a rise in major share markets elsewhere.

Read More
Japan’s Love of Foreign Stocks Risks Pushing the Yen Even Lower
  • January 22, 2025

Japan’s Love of Foreign Stocks Risks Pushing the Yen Even Lower

(Bloomberg) -- Japanese retail investors’ hunger for overseas equities is weighing further on the yen, adding to downside risks posed by tariffs from Donald Trump and the wide interest-rate gap with the US.Most Read from BloombergHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkLA Schools Wrecked by Fires Plead on GoFundMe for Help to ReopenNY’s Hochul Calls

Read More
Morning Bid: 'Giddy' Wall Street hits new highs, BOJ looms into view
  • January 22, 2025

Morning Bid: 'Giddy' Wall Street hits new highs, BOJ looms into view

Whatever doubts investors may have surrounding the longer-term economic damage of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed tariff agenda, they are giving his deregulation, tech-friendly and AI-supportive policies a huge thumbs up. With strong earnings from streaming giant Netflix providing an extra tailwind, Wall Street's sizzling performance on Wednesday should fuel a strong rise in risk appetite across Asia on Thursday. The tech and artificial intelligence fervor is intensifying again after Trump announced a private sector investment of up to $500 billion to fund infrastructure for AI.

Read More
Saudi Bond Spree Continues as Wealth Fund Taps Dollar Market
  • January 22, 2025

Saudi Bond Spree Continues as Wealth Fund Taps Dollar Market

(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia’s bond spree continued Wednesday as its sovereign wealth fund sold $4 billion of dollar debt.Most Read from BloombergHow Sanctuary Cities Are Preparing for Another Showdown With TrumpTexas HOA Charged With Discrimination for Banning Section 8 RentersDonations to LA Fire Victims Rise Past $200 Million MarkLA Schools Wrecked by Fires Plead on GoFundMe for Help to ReopenNY’s Hochul Calls for Law Banning Cell Phone Use in SchoolsThe Public Investment Fund priced notes wit

Read More