Charles Michel says peace progress in Caucasus ‘encouraging’
President Emeritus of the European Council Charles Michel has said he is “confident” in the progress of peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armen...
Asian shares slipped on Thursday as disappointing Chinese economic data and a sharp fall in copper prices weighed on sentiment, while the yen firmed after the Bank of Japan held interest rates steady but raised its inflation forecast.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.7%, though it remains on track for a fourth straight monthly gain in July. Stocks in Hong Kong and China led the declines after official purchasing managers’ indices showed weaker-than-expected activity.
The yen strengthened 0.6% to 148.62 per U.S. dollar after the Bank of Japan unanimously kept its short-term rate at 0.5% but signalled a possible rate hike later in the year. Japanese shares were little changed, with the Nikkei 225 index last up 0.9%.
Investors also digested a flurry of developments, including a U.S.-South Korea trade deal, the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates steady, and strong earnings from Microsoft and Meta Platforms. Nasdaq futures jumped 1.2% on the back of the tech results, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.8%.
The Federal Reserve’s rate-setting committee voted 9-2 to keep rates unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting, the first time in over three decades that two governors dissented. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks tempered expectations of a September rate cut.
The U.S. dollar index traded at 98.81, just below Wednesday’s two-month high, and is set for its first monthly gain of 2025.
Copper futures plunged 19% after President Donald Trump announced a 50% tariff on copper pipes and wiring, though raw materials such as ores and cathodes were excluded.
Oil prices were steady, with Brent crude for September delivery down 0.2% at $73.10 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was unchanged at $70.01.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
President Emeritus of the European Council Charles Michel has said he is “confident” in the progress of peace efforts between Azerbaijan and Armenia, calling for a sustainable framework to support regional cooperation.
On October 23, Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ararat Mirzoyan, met with Gérard Larcher, President of the French Senate, in Paris.
The Palestinian government has condemned an Israeli bill to apply domestic law to parts of the occupied West Bank, calling the move illegal under international law and a threat to Palestinian sovereignty.
Israel and the United States have prevented Türkiye from joining planned international stabilization forces (ISF) for the Gaza Strip, according to a White House broadcast.
Azerbaijan has urged the international community to show stronger solidarity and support in tackling the global threat of landmines, as the country continues to face widespread contamination across more than 13 percent of its territory.
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