Japan

Dow, S&P hang on to April gains as tech shares slump Weak consumer spending, Chicago PMI cast doubts on strength of U.S. economyStocks fall on Friday as blue-chip tech shares drag on the market but the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher for a second month in a row.

U.S. calls out Asia’s leading exporters, Germany over economic policiesThe Obama administration delivers a shot across the bow to Asia’s leading exporters and Germany for their economic policies and warns that a number of major economies around the globe could face intense pressure to engage in currency interventions to counter slow growth.

Gold rallies to 15-month high, up over 4% in April Silver futures jump about 15% for the monthGold and silver futures rally to their highest settlement levels since January 2015.

Yen logs 5% April gain vs. dollar with Fed, Bank of Japan on hold Rising oil drives Russian ruble, Brazilian real to big monthly gainsThe dollar tumbled to an 18-month low against the Japanese currency Friday after a widely watched gauge of inflation showed upward price pressures abated last month, removing some pressure for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.

4 reasons why silver outshone gold in April rally Some analysts expect silver to climb to $20 an ounceHere are the reasons why silver outshone gold in April.

Donald Trump’s foreign-policy ideas are dangerous Former U.S. diplomat R. Nicholas Burns says Trump may want to rethink ‘America first’ sloganFormer U.S. diplomat R. Nicholas Burns says Donald Trump doesn’t appear to have the in-depth knowledge—about the world, history, economics, politics—that any serious presidential candidate should have.

European stocks slide as GDP data, earnings stream in Euro pushes above $1.14All sectors on the Stoxx 600 are in the red, though the pan-European index still marks a gain for April.

The global economy’s wild ride is being fueled by too much debt Countries need to return to growth without the aid of debt-fueled overconsumptionCountries need to return to growth without the aid of debt-fueled overconsumption, says Simon Johnson.

‘Sell in May’ surfaces with major S&P support under siege U.S. dollar threatens a breakdown, Japanese yen takes flight; AAPL, MSFT, GOOG weigh down NasdaqU.S. stocks have turned lower to conclude April amid renewed currency cross currents, and with the worst six months seasonally set to start next week. In the process, major support points are under siege — most notably, Dow 17,800, and the S&P 2,080 area — though based on today’s backdrop, the late-week downdraft looks technically innocuous.

Why Japan is resisting the false allure of helicopter money Prime Minister Abe’s economic reforms are beginning to workSome experts are recommending that Japan figuratively drop money from helicopters to get the country out of its doldrums, but Tokyo is wisely resisting, writes Koichi Hamada.

Japan’s prosperity is holding it back from making needed reforms Abe’s quandary: Higher inflation is needed, but that would make the debt burden unbearableThe Japanese economy is a paradoxical mixture of prosperity and failure. And, in a significant way, its prosperity makes its failures difficult to address, says Martin Feldstein.

Even Warren Buffett is confused by negative interest rates Doesn’t mean world will end, but nobody knows ‘full implications’Billionaire investor Warren Buffett tells CNBC that negative interest rates are uncharted territory and that no one knows what the full implications will be.

The Fed is offering the markets a placebo and nothing more Central banks can soothe markets, but their policies aren’t curing the world’s illsInvestors are just looking to survive the painful uncertainty of markets that are no longer based on real-world fundamentals, leaving them wide open for to the soothing power of central banks’ placebos, says Ben Hunt of Salient Partners.

The rise and decline of Apple in one chart While hardware sales are shrinking, services revenue is gainingApple Inc. suffered its first revenue decline in 13 years in the first quarter, but not all of the company’s segments are following the same track.

Hong Kong ends down 1.5% as most Asian markets keep sliding Yen reaches 18-month high against dollarShares in most Asian stock markets edged lower Friday, with gains capped by disappointment over the Bank of Japan holding back on additional stimulus and worries about global economic growth.

Gold has everything in its favor This year’s rally has legs, spurred by the right economic conditionsThis year’s rally has legs, spurred by the right economic conditions, writes Michael Brush.

Australia to reject Chinese cattle ranch dealCANBERRA, Australia--Australia's government intends to reject a deal led by Chinese investors to buy the country's largest cattle-ranch empire, in a signal of rising official concern about offshore investment in the country's agricultural trophies.

Saudi economic reform plan is bound to fail Blueprint preserves social order and the rent economy whose time is upSaudi Arabia’s bold plan to reform the economy isn’t nearly bold enough, because it leaves the social order in place and it continues to rely on rent-seeking rather than production, writes Amotz Asa-El.

Dow has worst day in 2 months as Apple sinks Dollar tumbles as yen soars; Facebook, DreamWorks surgeThe Dow Jones Industrial Average has its worst day in over two months on Thursday as Apple Inc. extended its losing streak while the broader market crumbled under the combined weight of disappointing data and weak corporate earnings.

Dow logs worst one-day point drop since Feb. 11; Apple weighsThe Dow saw its worst one-day tumble since February on Thursday as a selloff in Apple Inc. extended a slump in the broader markets. Stocks were swooning earlier in the session after tepid economic data and a surprise decision by the Bank of Japan--not to roll out fresh economic stimulus measures--rattled investors. Shares of Apple tanked in the afternoon after billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn said, during a 2 p.m. Eastern Time interview on CNBC, that he dumped his entire stake in the iPhone maker, citing concerns about a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, China, a major market for the tech giant. Apple's 3% slump followed a 6.3% slide in its shares late Tuesday after it reported its first decline in iPhones sales in 13 years. Thursdays slide rippled through the tech sector, offsetting a 7.2% surge in Facebook Inc. shares, which touched a record high of $120.79 after its late-Wednesday quarterly results beat analysts' expectations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 210 points, or 1.2%, to 17,830, marking its worst point decline since Feb. 11, when the markets hit their lowest level of 2016. The S&P 500 index sank about 20 points, or 0.9%, to close at 2,075. The S&P 500's tech and energy sectors, down more than 1.3%, lead sector declines. Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index declined 57 points, or 1.2%, to 4,805. The decline for the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq marked their worst one-day drop in three weeks. And the Nasdaq Composite's decline marked its sixth straight session of declines in a row, its worst losing streak since Feb. 21.

Yen logs largest gain against dollar in 7 years after BOJ surprise Buck remains lower as U.S. first-quarter GDP disappoints The yen on Thursday posted its largest daily gain against the dollar in more than seven years following the Bank of Japan’s decision to stand pat at its April policy meeting confounded market expectations that it would do more to try to stimulate Japan’s flagging economy.

Treasury yields fall to 1-week low on tepid U.S. growth data Short-term yields tumble most as June rate-hike expectations declineTreasury prices rose Thursday for the second straight session, pushing yields to fresh one-week lows, after data showed the U.S. economy grew at its slowest pace in two years during the first quarter.

Oil settles above $46 for the first time in nearly six months U.S. output down 7 weeks, but supply concerns lingerThe latest data from the Energy Information Administration showed U.S. crude stocks expanded by 2 million barrels in the week ended April 22, but production declined for a seventh straight week.

The Bank of Japan just made June even more crucial for Wall Street Fed, BOJ meetings, ‘Brexit’ vote, eurozone debt wrangling loomThe Bank of Japan’s decision Thursday to leave its monetary stimulus efforts virtually unchanged on Friday shifted investors attention to June—a month already jam-packed with possible inflection points for global markets.

Gold, silver up a fourth session as BOJ, Fed inaction pressures dollar Gold at seven week high; silver ends at highest since MayGold and silver futures settled higher for a fourth session Thursday on after two central bank meetings fueled a downdraft in the dollar.

Gold, silver futures rally for a fourth straight sessionGold and silver futures , with gold settling at its highest level in seven weeks and silver again finishing at its best level since May. Decisions by the U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan to stand pat on interest rates put , providing support for the dollar-denominated precious metals. June gold added $16, or 1.3%, to settle at $1,266.40 an ounce and July silver settled at $17.588 an ounce, up 25.3 cents, or 1.5%.

Obama tells all on how he saved U.S. economy Obama’s economic legacy will be debated for years to comeTo hear President Obama tell it, the U.S. economic recovery under his watch is a resounding success. He saved the banks, he saved the auto industry and he helped revive a moribund housing market.

What is really moving stocks and goldThe relationship between gold and the yen continues to be a strong as another hard move by the yen as boosted gold and had an adverse effect on stocks.

Bank of Japan makes you feel sorry for impotent central bankers Analysis: Market reaction underlines Catch-22 dilemmaThe reaction to the Bank of Japan’s decision to stand pat shows that central bankers are stuck in an unenviable Catch-22.

European stocks end higher as oil gains offset BOJ dismay Electrolux surges after results Commodity shares help lift Europe’s equity market higher, alleviating some pressure after the Bank of Japan’s decision not to launch fresh stimulus measures.

FTSE 100 logs a gain as resource rally trumps BOJ decision Lloyds shares fall after its profit plungesU.K. stocks ended marginally higher Thursday as a rise in oil and metals prices outweighed Bank of Japan’s surprise decision not to launch more stimulus.

S&P 500’s bull trend absorbs central-bank induced whipsaw Focus: Technology turns lower, Industrials break out, XLK, XLI, TXN, KMX, KATE, DRQU.S. stocks are off to a mixed Thursday start, rising from session lows after the Bank of Japan issued no additional stimulus, and following a weaker-than-expected first-quarter U.S. GDP report. Against this backdrop, the market price action remains technical, and continues to support a bullish view.

U.S. stocks open lower after BOJ surprises, GDP disappoints U.S. stocks opened lower Thursday, tracking declines in European and Asia shares, after the Bank of Japan rattled investors by offering no additional stimulus measures. The S&P 500 shed 3 points, or 0.2%, to 2,091. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 44 points, or 0.2%, to 17,993. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 3 points, or 0.1%, to 4,853. A slightly weaker-than-expected report on U.S. first-quarter gross domestic product also weighed on shares.

It gets uglier for stocks if this safety net breaks Critical information before the U.S. market opensMark Zuckerberg was doing his best to cheer up investors, but then Haruhiko Kuroda delivered his convincing impersonation of a wet blanket. Most stocks around the world are now sliding. Watch a key level for the yen, our call of the day says.

5 charts that show the Bank of Japan market carnageThe Bank of Japan’s decision not to add stimulus came as a shock to many investors, sending the yen roaring higher and rattling stocks worldwide.

‘Out of ammunition’: Analysts react to BOJ’s surprise non-move Market reaction to BOJ decision is worrisome, UBS saysAnalysts say the Bank of Japan is running out of ideas and that may not be good for global markets.

Norway Oil Fund posts negative returns in Q1OSLO--Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest by assets, posted negative returns of 0.6% on its investments in the first quarter, pulled down by weak equity returns but partly offset by gains in its fixed-income portfolio.

Bank of Japan's Kuroda vows to do 'whatever it takes' to boost inflationBank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda on Thursday pledged to do "whatever it takes" to boost the country's flagging inflation, saying there are no limits to monetary policy measures, according to Dow Jones Newswires. Speaking at a press conference after the BOJ's , the governor said the bank is still strongly determined to achieve its 2% inflation in two years. He cautioned, however, that introducing so-called helicopter money would be illegal in Japan. Kuroda also warned that low oil prices will continue to keep a lid on inflation until early 2017. The Japanese central bank has been among the most aggressive institutions in using unconventional policy measures, including implementing negative interest rates. Sub-zero rates have been criticized for eroding bank profits and doing more harm than good, but Kuroda defended the measure at the meeting. He said there was plenty of room to further cut the deposit rate, but found it "appropriate" to keep policy unchanged for now to gauge the effects of negative interest rates. Japan's Nikkei 225 index to 16,666.05, while the . The dollar bought 108.17 yen, down from 111.47 yen late Wednesday in New York.

Nikkei crushed after Bank of Japan does nothing at policy meeting Market had expected more stimulus; yen soarsMost stock markets in Asia rose Thursday before Japan’s central bank decides whether to ease monetary policy further to boost the sluggish economy.

Airbus profit falls 50% as deliveries lagLONDON-- Airbus Group SE said first-quarter net profit fell 50% from a year earlier after the company struggled to get planes into customer hangars, warned of a potential "significant" financial hit from a key military aircraft program and slowed production of its A380 superjumbo.