
U.S. Stocks Slip as Hawkish Fed Minutes Weigh on Markets; Walmart Shares Fall
Feb 20, 2026 01:28 am UTC| Economy
U.S. stocks closed lower on Thursday after the Federal Reserves latest meeting minutes signaled a more hawkish stance on interest rates than investors had anticipated. The SP 500 declined 0.3% to 6,862.16, while the Nasdaq...

Japan Manufacturing PMI Jumps to Four-Year High as Demand Surges
Feb 20, 2026 01:19 am UTC| Economy
Japans manufacturing sector expanded at its fastest pace in nearly four years in February, signaling renewed strength in the worlds third-largest economy and supporting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichis economic revival...

Wall Street Closes Lower as Private Equity Stocks Slide, Apple and Walmart Weigh on S&P 500
Feb 20, 2026 01:05 am UTC| Economy
Wall Street ended Thursdays session in negative territory as losses in private equity firms and weakness in major blue-chip stocks like Apple and Walmart offset earnings-driven gains in industrial shares. Investor...

Japan Core Inflation Slows to 2% in January, Clouding BOJ Rate Hike Outlook
Feb 20, 2026 01:04 am UTC| Economy
Japans annual core consumer inflation slowed to 2.0% in January, marking its weakest pace in two years and adding complexity to the Bank of Japans next interest rate decision. The latest government data showed that the...

Asian Currencies Slide as Strong US Dollar and Hawkish Fed Pressure Regional FX Markets
Feb 19, 2026 05:41 am UTC| Economy
Asian currencies weakened on Thursday as a stronger US dollar and hawkish signals from Federal Reserve officials weighed on regional foreign exchange markets. The South Korean won and Indian rupee led losses, while the...

BOJ Rate Hike to 1% by June in Focus as Inflation and Weak Yen Pressure Mount
Feb 19, 2026 04:58 am UTC| Economy Central Banks
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is increasingly expected to raise its key interest rate to 1% by the end of June, according to a recent Reuters poll of economists. The shift in forecasts reflects growing concerns about rising...

Sanae Takaichi Seeks Market Trust as Japan Weighs Spending and Tax Cuts
Feb 19, 2026 04:56 am UTC| Politics Economy
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is preparing to defend her proactive fiscal policies as parliament begins deliberations on her flagship spending and tax cut plans next week. While Takaichi has pledged to boost...