Japan's Nomura can ride choppy market, CFO says after bank posts record annual profit
  • April 24, 2025

Japan's Nomura can ride choppy market, CFO says after bank posts record annual profit

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan's biggest investment bank and brokerage Nomura Holdings recorded a 27% rise in fourth-quarter net profit to hit its highest ever full-year profit as revenue grew in each of its business segments over the year. The results are for the period up to the end of March and do not account for the market turmoil that followed the U.S. tariff announcements in April, however Nomura can ride out the volatility, its chief financial officer said. "A certain degree of volatility really works in favour of our business," CFO Takumi Kitamura said at an earnings briefing.

Alphabet climbs as AI bets drive ad strength, quelling market fears
  • April 24, 2025

Alphabet climbs as AI bets drive ad strength, quelling market fears

(Reuters) -Alphabet shares jumped about 3% on Friday, after a solid earnings report from the Google parent showed investors that its bold bets on AI were fueling growth in the core advertising business, soothing some concerns around competition and tariff-related pressures. Google's advertising revenue rose a better-than-expected 8.5% in the first quarter, in a welcome respite to investors who were worried that a decline in U.S. ad spending amid global trade tensions could significantly dent the digital ad market. Industry data from early April that showed a sharp pullback in U.S. digital ad spending from Temu and Shein - the biggest advertisers on Google Search in the U.S. - further fanned fears.

Asian shares soar after Wall Street rallies into a 3rd day
  • April 24, 2025

Asian shares soar after Wall Street rallies into a 3rd day

Asian markets were higher Friday after Wall Street rallied for the third day, driven by hopes for the Federal Reserve to cut rates. The rally was boosted by hopes that Trump was softening his approach on tariffs and his criticism of the Federal Reserve, but China denied Thursday it’s involved in active trade negotiations with the U.S. Tech stocks rose in China after some semiconductor import companies told Caijing Magazine that some chips made in the U.S. had been quietly exempted from the country's 125% retaliatory tariffs.

Stocks, dollar eye weekly rise on hints of tariff relief
  • April 24, 2025

Stocks, dollar eye weekly rise on hints of tariff relief

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) -Asian stock markets headed for a second straight week of gains on Friday and the dollar for its first weekly rise in more than a month as investors focused on signs the U.S. and China were prepared to pull back from their trade war. European futures rose 0.6% and FTSE futures were up 0.2%. Tit-for-tat tariffs that began with U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of hefty import levies on April 2 had threatened to stall trade between the world's two biggest economies and prompted concern about a slowdown in global growth.

Automakers focus on the global market, chide the US over tariffs at Shanghai's auto show
  • April 24, 2025

Automakers focus on the global market, chide the US over tariffs at Shanghai's auto show

Booths of big Chinese, German and Japanese automakers were bustling at Shanghai’s auto show this week as the industry kept its focus on a wider global market not subject to steep U.S. tariffs on imports of cars and auto parts. Signs are that U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on auto imports is causing companies to recalibrate their strategies, and in some cases find new opportunities.