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US: Stocks pause at records at start of heavy earnings week

US: Stocks pause at records at start of heavy earnings week

Business Times7 days ago
[NEW YORK] Wall Street stocks finished little changed on Monday as markets awaited key earnings and economic data later in the week while weighing the potential for more gains after a heady period.
Investors greeted Sunday's announcement that the United States had reached a trade deal with the European Union, as well as fresh talks that begun on Monday in Stockholm between Washington and Beijing.
But Angelo Kourkafas said the market's 'muted' reaction made sense given the heavy number of economic news releases this week that could move the market.
The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index finished up 0.3 per cent at 21,178.58, a new record.
The broad-based S&P 500 also nudged higher to a new record at 6,389.77, a gain of less than 0.1 per cent from Friday's record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.1 per cent to 44,837.56.
'Because markets have run a lot in a short amount of time, we may get some good enough news, but they may not elicit the same reaction as some of the good news over the last couple of weeks when valuations were lower than they are today,' Kourkafas said.
Besides ongoing trade negotiations, markets this week are looking ahead to earnings from large tech companies including Apple and Facebook parent Meta, as well as from industrial giants such as Boeing and ExxonMobil.
The calendar also includes a Federal Reserve decision on Wednesday, as well as the July jobs report and other key economic releases.
Among individual companies, Nike shot up 3.9 per cent following an upgrade from JPMorgan Chase. Briefing.com attributed some of the optimism to a US trade accord with Vietnam, which has eased worries about a major cost hit from tariffs. AFP
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FIFA faces Dutch class action over player transfer regulations
FIFA faces Dutch class action over player transfer regulations

Straits Times

time7 minutes ago

  • Straits Times

FIFA faces Dutch class action over player transfer regulations

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group D - Esperance de Tunis v Chelsea - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. - June 24, 2025 General view of the FIFA logo before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith/File Photo A Dutch soccer players' group is preparing a "potentially billion-dollar" class action claim against FIFA and other soccer associations, seeking compensation over alleged loss of income due to restrictive transfer rules, it said on Monday. The Dutch Foundation for Justice said world soccer governing body FIFA's rules had affected approximately 100,000 players in European member states and the United Kingdom since 2002. The foundation added that consultancy firm Compass Lexecon had estimated that damages could run into billions of euros, with the foundation's board member Dolf Segaar telling Dutch news agency NOS that "it is a billion-dollar claim". The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is among the associations to be named in the suit. "This case is being brought in the Netherlands under the Dutch Act on the Settlement of Mass Damages in Collective Action (WAMCA), which allows this legal action to be launched by JfP on behalf of a large group of professional footballers," it added. FIFA and the KNVB did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. The foundation added that a preliminary analysis from global economic consulting company Compass Lexecon estimated that professional footballers collectively earned around 8% less over their careers than they would have due to FIFA's regulations. "All professional football players have lost a significant amount of earnings due to the unlawful FIFA Regulations," foundation chair Lucia Melcherts said in a statement. "'Justice for Players' is bringing this claim to help achieve justice for footballers and fairness." DIARRA RULING The foundation added that the case was launched following a ruling on French player Lassana Diarra, who was fined 10 million euros ($11.56 million) by FIFA for leaving Lokomotiv Moscow one year into a four-year deal. In October 2024, the Court of Justice of the European Union said some of FIFA's rules on player transfers went against European Union laws and free movement principles in the case linked to former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid player Diarra. Following the ruling by the EU's top court, FIFA in December adopted an interim framework concerning the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. The interim regulatory framework affects the calculation of compensation payable if there is a breach of contract and the burden of proof in relation to both compensation payable and an inducement to breach a contract. Justice for Players said it will be advised by law firm Dupont-Hissel, founded by Jean-Louis Dupont. Dupont is the same lawyer who took the landmark case of Belgian Jean-Marc Bosman, which in 1995 cleared the way for players in the European Union to move to other clubs at the end of contracts without a transfer fee being paid. Dupont-Hissel also represented Diarra in his case against FIFA, with Dupont saying in 2024 that a judgment backing the player would be a milestone in modernising football governance. He added that it would allow players' unions and club associations to regulate their employment practices. REUTERS

Why technology retains its dominance in investments
Why technology retains its dominance in investments

Business Times

time7 minutes ago

  • Business Times

Why technology retains its dominance in investments

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Sign Up Sign Up If you are looking for Broad Tech investment opportunities, the US market is of course the first choice. In the MSCI USA Index, Broad Tech industries make up about 46 per cent of the market capitalisation. Asia is not bad either: in the MSCI Emerging Asia Index, the weight is 33 per cent. In contrast, Japan and Europe's Broad Tech stocks account for only 14 per cent and 9 per cent of their respective MSCI indices. US equity: AI still the growth engine After the US election, many investors had expected the US economy and stocks to benefit from Trump's victory, but the result was initially not as expected. In local currency terms, the S&P 500 Index fell by 3 per cent between election day and the end of the first quarter, compared to a 1 per cent rise in the MSCI All Country World Index ex-USA (ACWI, local currency terms). The US performance was disappointing partly due to the larger-than-expected US tariffs. 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Some analysts believe that China can offset the impact of US tariffs by stimulating domestic demand, but it is still too early to say whether it will be effective over the medium term. Chinese investor sentiment has not yet recovered from the Covid pandemic, and if the real estate market continues to be sluggish, households may remain cautious about consumption. European equities: Focused gains Although European stock markets have a lower Broad Tech share, they delivered a good performance in local currency terms, rising by 6 per cent in the first quarter of this year – far better than the S&P 500. Monetary policy is a key driver of the market rise. As the European Central Bank has cut interest rates, bank shares have outperformed. In addition, Europe's sharp increase in defence spending and Germany's fiscal stimulus policy have improved investor sentiment towards European stock markets. In conclusion, the current market environment has parallels with early 2024, when many investors expected the economy to enter a recession and consequently underweighted equities. Today, many are worried about the impact of tariffs. Of course, investors must always be conscious of risks, but the global economy seems resilient and may yet bring more positive surprises this year. One should also not lose sight of the benefits of easier monetary policy from central banks, including the US (eventually). Although the US may no longer be as exceptional as it was, there are many other attractive growth themes in global markets. The writer is chief market strategist, BNP Paribas Asset Management

No plans to 'fully liberalise' cross-border ride-hail services: LTA, Singapore News
No plans to 'fully liberalise' cross-border ride-hail services: LTA, Singapore News

AsiaOne

time7 hours ago

  • AsiaOne

No plans to 'fully liberalise' cross-border ride-hail services: LTA, Singapore News

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