Global Markets
Asia mixes gains and losses as Europe fades
Asian equities split, European stocks drift lower, and the global backdrop stays steady despite a busy headline flow.
Asian markets finish mixed. The Kospi jumps 3.7% and the Nikkei 225 rises 0.8%, while the Shanghai Composite adds 0.3%. Offsetting that, the Hang Seng falls 0.8% and the Sensex slips 0.2%.
Europe closes softer. The FTSE 100 falls 0.6%, the CAC 40 drops 0.5%, the DAX loses 0.2%, and the Stoxx 600 edges down 0.2%. The TSX stands out as the region’s stronger large market, up 0.3%.
The international FX backdrop is calm but uneven. The dollar index slips 0.1%, EUR/USD edges down 0.1%, and USD/JPY rises 0.1%. USD/CHF climbs 0.4%, while USD/CNY and USD/MXN both fall.
Headline flow stays active outside the U.S. CNBC flags Anthropic’s early IPO meetings, OpenAI’s latest executive departure, and a trade court decision upholding Trump’s closure of the de minimis loophole. Reuters also reports on oil, the Strait of Hormuz, and Ukraine’s Black Sea grain-related strikes.