BT Market Focus

Market news for September 15, 2026: Asian markets slide as AI leaders urge caution and traders brace for pivotal Fed and BOJ rate decisions. Treasury yields breach 5% for the first time since 2007, oil climbs, and bitcoin retreats — signalling a tense, pivotal week ahead for global markets. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day&rsq...

Market news for September 14, 2026: Asian shares slid as AI leaders urged a development slowdown, while Middle East strikes pushed Brent crude over $107. Meanwhile, investors braced for likely rate hikes from both the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan this week. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and...

Oil prices just broke US$110 a barrel, bond yields are hitting multi-decade highs, and the yen carry trade is unwinding fast — this week's markets are a powder keg. In this episode of Market Focus Weekly, correspondent Howie Lim sits down with HSBC's Herald van der Linde to unpack the Strait of Hormuz shock, why AI capex — not fear — is now driving bond yields, Korea's staggering...

Market news for September 10, 2026: Asian markets slid as escalating Middle East shipping attacks pushed oil above $100 a barrel, spooking investors ahead of US inflation data. Treasury yields held near multi-year highs, while Wall Street, Europe, and Asia all retreated amid mounting bets on further central bank rate hikes. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Tim...

Market news for September 9, 2026: Brent crude surged near $100 as Middle East conflict escalated, subduing Asian stocks amid inflation jitters before US CPI data. Conversely, chip stocks rebounded, and Alphabet announced a record €13 billion AI infrastructure investment in Finland. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s mark...

Market news for September 8, 2026: The yen surges to a seven-month high as carry trades unwind, while Iranian threats to Gulf energy infrastructure push oil and bond yields higher. Asian markets trade mixed, copper hits a record, and Singapore Airlines' Air India stake faces new scrutiny. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s mar...

Market news for September 7, 2026: Asian tech shares rallied on a robust US jobs report signaling growth, though rate hike odds narrowed. Meanwhile, oil prices edged higher following renewed US-Iran ship attacks in the Gulf, as traders monitor inflation and energy risks. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movement...

Market news for September 4, 2026: Asian shares surged today, buoyed by cooling Fed rate hike fears that weakened the dollar and ignited a relief rally. Investors now hold their breath for the looming US payroll showdown while Middle East tensions keep oil prices elevated. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements an...

Market news for September 3, 2026: Asian shares and bonds rallied as the yen climbed, with investors cautiously awaiting critical U.S. payroll data. Markets weighed central bank policy signals against ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions, as oil prices slipped following recent volatile spikes in global borrowing costs. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks a...

Market news for September 2, 2026: Asian markets tumbled as a global bond sell-off collided with fresh US strikes on Iran, sending oil surging and yields to multi-decade highs. The dollar strengthened, gold and crypto slipped, while traders priced strong odds of a Fed rate hike this month. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by  The Business Times that looks at the day&rsqu...

Market news for September 1, 2026: Bond yields soared to decade highs as Middle East conflict pushed oil above $90, fuelling inflation fears. Despite the geopolitical pressure and Federal Reserve anxiety, resilient Asian factory activity driven by persistent global demand for AI hardware provided critical support. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that lo...

Market news for August 31, 2026: Geopolitical fire and inflation ice collided today - US-Iran skirmishes fuelled an oil rally, while rising September rate-hike odds pressured Asian equities. Investors face a double-barreled threat as the Fed’s inflation mandate keeps bond yields high and stock markets trembling. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times tha...

Rising inflation and recent rate hikes in the Philippines and South Korea have reignited concerns about price pressures across Asia. But is there really cause for alarm? Nicole Teo speaks with Morgan Stanley Asia Economist Derrick Kam about the region’s inflation outlook, what is driving monetary policy, and why a broader capex supercycle beyond AI could fuel investment. Highlights: 01:41 As...

Market news for August 27, 2026: Asian markets rallied as Nvidia’s earnings beat exceeded forecasts, lifting tech sentiment. Yet, gains were constrained by persistent U.S. inflation concerns, keeping investors cautious ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s pivotal Jackson Hole speech regarding future interest rate paths. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by...

Market news for August 26, 2026: Asian stocks surged as crude’s retreat dampened bond yields, stoking optimism that the Strait of Hormuz might soon reopen. Markets now hold their collective breath, pinning high-stakes expectations on Nvidia’s looming, make-or-break quarterly earnings report. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the...

Market news for August 25, 2026: Asian markets remained rangebound as oil prices dipped, ignoring Iran sanction threats. Bitcoin crossed $80,000 for the first time since May. Investors now pivot to Nvidia’s highly anticipated earnings and Shein’s $1.8 billion IPO launch amid a cautious trading session. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that lo...

Market news for August 24, 2026: Asian markets fell in the red today amid rising global bond yields, and investor caution ahead of Nvidia’s earnings. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to hold a ​press conference tonight. Singapore’s core inflation rose to 2 per cent in July, up from 1.6 per cent in June. Shein’s valuation shrinks 70 per cent to US$27 billion in its upcoming Hon...

Bond markets are cracking, oil is spiking, and Japan's rates are hitting decade highs — so where should investors actually put their money? Correspondent Howie Lim sits down with Gary Tan of Allspring Global Investments to discuss why US Treasury buybacks won't fix America's debt problem, why AI valuations hinge on bond yields rather than headlines, and why emerging markets (EM) are quietly...

Market news for August 20, 2026: Global markets rallied as the US Treasury’s increased debt buybacks eased bond market stress, boosting stocks. Despite persistent Fed inflation concerns and shipping delays in the Strait of Hormuz, investor sentiment improved as yields retreated from multi-decade highs. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at...

Market news for August 19, 2026: Global markets slumped as bond yields hit decade highs; oil topped $90 amid Middle East volatility; tech stocks took a heavy hit, echoing Wall Street’s slide; and investors braced for persistent inflation and elusive policy guidance from Fed minutes. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s mar...

Market news for August 18, 2026: Bond yields hit decade-highs as oil rose; Asian stocks faltered following a US-Iran truce expiration; Anthropic’s revenue run rate hit $65 billion, and Milky Mist Dairy jumped 30 per cent in its successful Indian trading debut. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news...

Market news for August 17, 2026: Defying war, tariffs, and AI volatility, emerging markets showed surprising strength. Investor demand for EM debt reached two-decade highs as Asian stocks rose and US dollar weakness dampened expectations for an imminent Federal Reserve rate hike. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movem...

Records are being broken, currencies are wobbling, and everyone's arguing about AI — but which signals actually matter? On this week's Market Focus Weekly, Howie Lim presses Pictet's Arun Sai on the Fed's next move, whether the Bank of Japan (BOJ) can save the yen, and why AI's boom is splitting into winners and losers. From Seoul's wild swings to oil's war premium, Arun cuts through the noi...

Market news for August 13, 2026: Asian stocks climbed as tame US inflation data dampened near-term Federal Reserve rate hike expectations. Meanwhile, oil prices held near $80 a barrel, remaining elevated due to the ongoing US-Iran deadlock over a permanent end to the Gulf war. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movement...

Market news for August 12, 2026: Geopolitical tensions boosted oil and gold, Asian shares gained, driven by South Korean strength and Foxconn’s 35 per cent profit jump. Investors await critical US inflation data following a North Korean missile launch. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Sin...