Latest news with #AllShareIndex
CNBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Swiss tensions run high as clock ticks on U.S. tariff deadline
Tensions and fears are running high in Switzerland, as the deadline to strike a trade agreement with the U.S. looms just days away. Without a deal, Switzerland faces 39% duties on its goods imported into the U.S., after it was hit with one of the highest new tariff rates under U.S. President Donald Trump's latest trade policy shift last week. The higher duty surprised many, as widespread reports had previously suggested a trade agreement was near, and was just missing Trump's signature. Over the weekend, reports emerged that the higher tariffs followed a disagreeable Thursday phone call between Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter and Trump — which Swiss officials rejected, according to Reuters. Guy Parmelin, Swiss federal council member and head of the Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, told local media that the government was open to tweaking its proposal to the U.S. — but that it may prove difficult to finalize by the Aug. 7 deadline, Reuters reported. Swiss leaders are set to meet Monday to discuss the latest developments. Elsewhere, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer somewhat dashed hopes of a flurry of imminent trade agreements, telling CBS News that he was not expecting the latest tariffs to be negotiated lower in the coming days, and that "these tariff rates are pretty much set." Industry groups and business leaders have raised the alarm on potential fallout for businesses, which could include massive job losses. "It was far more than a surprise. We were all shocked," Jan Atteslander, head of the department international relations and member of the executive board at Economiesuisse, told CNBC's Carolin Roth and Ritika Gupta on "Europe Early Edition" on Monday. It would be difficult for Swiss businesses to offset the impact of a 39% tariff, Atteslander noted. "Such a high rate for many companies will just cut off trade, and we are convinced that a deal is still better for both sides than just cutting trade." He added that "there's no substitute for the United States" in terms of export markets, despite Switzerland prioritizing diversification and Swiss businesses finding success around the world. Key Swiss exports include chemical and pharmaceutical products, watches and jewelry, gold, chocolate and electronics. Switzerland's blue-chip SMI index was closed for a national holiday when the new U.S. tariff was announced Friday, but opened lower by around 1.2% at 8:30 a.m. in London on Monday. Shares of chemicals firm Sika fell 2.1%, while luxury groups Richemont and Roche traded around 1.5% lower. The broader Swiss All Share Index was down by 1.5% in early deals. Analysts at UBS said Friday that the direct impact on the overall Swiss equity market from the new duties would be "negative, but not destructive." They flagged the worst-hit firms would include watch and machinery manufacturers, some medtech businesses and smaller companies bthat are more reliant on exports. Fears have also emerged over the Swiss economic outlook in a no-deal scenario. GianLuigi Mandruzzato, senior economist at EFG Asset Management, told CNBC's "Europe Early Edition" on Monday that the risk of a Swiss recession had increased after the announcement, with U.S. export tariffs set to affect about 10% of the economy. The levies would also put deflationary pressure on the economy and therefore on the Swiss National Bank, which has already cut interest rates to zero to stave off weak inflation and the strength of the Swiss franc, Mandruzzato added. While business leaders are hoping for a Swiss-U.S. deal to be reached in time, there is currently a lot of uncertainty, according to Economiesuisse's Atteslander. While the Swiss government was working on a new offer, "it's totally open at the moment," he said. It remains "very hard to tell" whether the government will be able to negotiate a better deal that the current 39% rate before the deadline, Mandruzzato said, with potential bargaining tools including higher purchases of U.S. energy or more direct investment by Swiss companies into the U.S. "It seems that the trade negotiations with the U.S. eventually boils down to what Donald Trump prefers," Mandruzzato said, adding that it was also difficult to assess what the final negotiation points could be.
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Boursa Kuwait ends lower
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 3: Boursa Kuwait ended Sunday's trading session with the All Share Index falling by 23.44 points, or 0.27%, closing at 8,594.39 points. Trading activity included 332 million shares exchanged through 22,382 transactions, reaching a total value of KD 68.3 million (USD 208.9 million). The Main Market Index moved up by 42.13 points, or 0.55%, finishing at 7,655.84 points. This came on turnover of 238.4 million shares via 16,538 trades, amounting to KD 33.15 million (USD 101.4 million). Conversely, the Premier Market Index declined by 40.98 points, or 0.44%, to 9,253.22 points, with 93.6 million shares traded through 5,844 transactions, valued at KD 35.2 million (USD 107.7 million). Meanwhile, the Main 50 Index rose by 12.47 points, or 0.16%, to reach 7,617.14 points. Trading in this segment involved 168.3 million shares exchanged across 8,025 transactions, reaching KD 20.9 million (USD 63.9 million). (KUNA)
The Citizen
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
JSE All Share Index hit 100k points
The All Share Index is like a scoreboard for the JSE, displaying the performance of all the major companies listed collectively. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) All Share Index (ALSI) hit 100 000 points on Wednesday, which is 1 000 times higher than its starting value of 100 points in January 1960. JSE ALSI is a premier stock market index, tracking the performance of all listed companies on the JSE. It's a capitalisation-weighted index that includes companies from various sectors, such as mining, finance, retail and telecommunications. In simple terms, it is like a scoreboard for the JSE, displaying the performance of all the major companies listed collectively. ALSO READ: Investing in JSE shares: What you need to know JSE ALSI 65-year journey Leila Fourie, Group CEO of the JSE, says reaching 100 000 points shows that investors keep placing their trust in the South African market and in the ability of the listed companies to drive growth and deliver value. 'Over its 65-year journey, the ALSI has delivered annualised returns of over 11%, reflecting the resilience and growth of South Africa's capital markets. '2025 has positioned the JSE among the best-performing markets in the world in dollar and rand terms.' Purpose of JSE ALSI Mark Randall, Director of Information Services, notes that the index represents 125 listed companies on the JSE with a combined market capitalisation of R21 trillion, spanning a diverse range of sectors and geographies. ALSO READ: R4.5 billion in unclaimed dividends: JSE urges South Africans to check if they are owed 'While the ALSI does not include every listed company, it remains a trusted benchmark, capturing 99% of the eligible market capitalisation on the JSE Main Board.' Randall says the JSE ALSI distils the daily performance of large, mid, and small-cap stocks into a single, accessible figure visible across media platforms and financial tickers, underscoring the strength of South Africa's equity market and the JSE's role as a gateway to African investment. Past five years He explains that the years 2020 to 2025 were particularly dynamic, with the index rebounding strongly from pandemic lows, driven by commodity booms (gold, platinum), resilient corporate earnings and improved investor sentiment. 'Key sectors like mining, banking and technology fueled gains, while structural reforms and fiscal stability underpinned the JSE's rise as a gateway to African markets. This feat reflects both the index's resilience and its role as a barometer of South Africa's economic potential.' NOW READ: JSE reaches a new high
Zawya
17-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: Equities investors earn $914mln as bulls persist at NGX
The Nigerian equities market extended its bullish run during the midweek trading session, with the All-Share Index (ASI) of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) rising by 1.80 percent to close at 128,967.08 basis points. This strong performance lifted the year-to-date (YTD) return to 25.30 percent, signaling continued investor optimism and sustained confidence in the market. Market capitalization increased significantly by ₦1.44 trillion, reaching ₦81.58 reflects deepening market liquidity and heightened investor interest, as bullish sentiment continued to dominate. Despite the overall positive tone, market breadth was slightly negative, with 41 gainers trailing 44 decliners, indicating some selective profit-taking amid broad market strength. Sectoral performance was largely upbeat. The Banking sector led the charge with a remarkable gain of 7.02 percent, followed by Consumer Goods, Industrial Goods, and Commodities, which rose by 1.33 percent, 1.15 percent, and 0.19 percent, respectively. However, the Insurance and Oil & Gas sectors experienced modest pullbacks, declining by 3.50 percent and 0.19 percent, respectively. Trading activity showed significant improvement across key metrics, underlining robust market participation. Although the number of executed deals declined by 7.09 percent, total trade value soared by 1,028.44 percent, while traded volume surged by 807.03 percent to 11.7 billion shares valued at ₦363 billion, executed across 36,635 transactions. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Arabian Post
03-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
GCC Equities Gain as Ceasefire and Fed Hopes Boost Confidence
Gulf Cooperation Council stock markets rallied in June, with the S&P GCC Composite Index climbing 3 % on easing Middle Eastern tensions and growing expectations of US interest rate cuts. Investor sentiment strengthened across the region, led by notable gains in Kuwait and Dubai. Kuwait's All Share Index recorded a 4.2 % rise in June, lifting its year‑to‑date performance to 14.8 %. The consumer‑staples and real‑estate sectors led the charge, posting increases of 9.1 % and 7.7 % respectively. The banking sector was also buoyant: Kuwait International Bank gained 15.9 % while Burgan Bank rose 8.7 %, following substantial share acquisitions by insiders. Warba Bank and Gulf Bank climbed 8.5 % and 7.2 %, respectively, as merger talks gained traction. Dubai's equity market rose approximately 4.1 % over the month. Dubai Islamic Bank and toll operations firm Salik were strong performers, with the former up 4.9 % and the latter rising 2.2 % when the UAE market hit a 17‑year high. Abu Dhabi's index also gained, with Islamic Bank and Aldar Properties climbing 12.1 % and 7.3 %, respectively. ADVERTISEMENT Saudi Arabia's Tadawul index rose 1.6 % during the month. Al Rajhi Bank and Riyad Bank were key contributors, and the International Monetary Fund upgraded Saudi's GDP growth forecast to 3.5 % for 2025, citing robust demand for government-led projects. Qatar's index increased by around 0.8 %, driven by a 1.2 % rise in Qatar National Bank. Markets surged as a ceasefire between Israel and Iran reduced regional geopolitical risk. Most GCC benchmarks reverted to pre-conflict levels by the end of June, while oil prices remained steady following the truce. Dubai's index in particular reached a 17‑year high on the back of this stability. Buoyant global trends added further support. The prospect of US rate cuts, raised amid dovish signals from Federal Reserve policymakers and cooling inflation indicators, boosted risk appetite in emerging markets. Wall Street's S&P 500 neared record highs during the same period, underpinning regional investor confidence. Sector rotation within the Gulf saw strong performances. Kuwaiti consumer staples and real estate led regional returns, while in Saudi, banking stocks remained upward, supported by IMF optimism. UAE financials and tolls also flourished as global capital flowed into yield-bearing assets. However, oil market dynamics and monetary policy divergence posed selective risks. Although crude prices rebounded, volatility remains a factor for oil-linked economies. Meanwhile, divergence between global central banks—especially between the US Fed and ECB—has put pressure on regional currency pegs, influencing capital flows. Investor strategies appear focused on defensive yet yield-enhancing sectors amid cautious optimism. Data from Markaz, Kuwait's financial centre, shows strong interest across consumer staples, real estate, and banking, with insider share acquisitions reinforcing positive trader sentiment. Emerging trend analysis suggests GCC markets are increasingly appealing as geopolitical risk diminishes and global liquidity tilts toward accommodative central bank policy. The IMF's upgraded growth forecasts, particularly in Saudi, and policy divergence supporting higher yields in the Gulf, are luring foreign capital. Looking ahead, attention will turn to sustainability of the ceasefire, future Fed decisions on policy easing, and crude price movements. GCC markets remain sensitive to developments in US monetary policy and Middle Eastern stability, with any deterioration potentially reversing the current momentum.
