Analysis: Indices

South Korea's KOSPI stock index tops 6,000 for first time

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index topped the 6,000-mark on Wednesday for the first time on a chipmaker rally led by artificial intelligence optimism. The KOSPI opened the...

Nikkei set to breach 60,000 milestone by mid-2027 on earnings growth, foreign inflows

Japan's Nikkei share average will probably gain only marginally through June before it pushes past the key psychological 60,000 mark by the middle of next year, a Reuters poll of equity strategists...

Top Chinese chipmakers plan to boost advanced chip output, Nikkei reports

China's top chipmakers, including SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor, are aiming to boost their output of advanced semiconductors to meet burgeoning artificial intelligence demand, Nikkei said on...

Trump boasts of stock market rally, promises $1,000 retirement savings contributions

U.S. President Donald Trump boasted of stock market gains in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday and pledged that the government would contribute to workers' retirement savings, while saying...

UK farmers demand continued access to crop chemicals in EU pact

Britain's farmers must be allowed to keep growing gene-edited crops and using plant protection products currently banned in the European Union if the UK strikes a new pact with the bloc, the president...

EU faces transition period with US after Trump tariff move, says EU trade chief

The European Union is facing a transitional period of a few months in relations with the U.S. after President Donald Trump's new import surcharge, which threatens to undermine the trade deal the two...

Sacked Congo state miner Gecamines chiefs opposed Virtus-Chemaf takeover, sources say

The Democratic Republic of Congo replaced the CEO and chair of state miner Gecamines in part because of their opposition to U.S.-backed Virtus Minerals' plan to buy cobalt and copper producer Chemaf,...

Chinese dronemaker DJI sues to challenge US import ban on new models

Chinese dronemaker DJI said on Tuesday it filed suit challenging the Federal Communications Commission decision to bar imports of all of its new models and critical components. The ban...

Senegal finance minister says "fundamental differences" remain in IMF talks

Fundamental differences remain between Senegal and the International Monetary Fund in talks for a new lending programme, the country's finance minister Cheikh Diba told lawmakers on Tuesday.  *...

Keurig Dr Pepper forecasts strong 2026 on JDE Peet's boost despite cost pressures

U.S. beverage maker Keurig Dr Pepper projected strong full-year results on Tuesday, betting on a boost from the pending acquisition of Dutch coffee and tea maker JDE Peet's, even as it navigates...

Ivory Coast unsold cocoa stocks set to soar if price standoff persists

Ivory Coast will have accumulated about 200,000 metric tons of unsold cocoa by end-March when its main crop concludes unless the government cuts state-regulated farmer prices in order to unlock sales...

EU countries give final approval to weaken company sustainability laws

EU countries on Tuesday gave their final approval to scale back rules that require companies to address environmental and human rights risks in their supply chains, after months of pressure from...

Nigeria to start exporting new crude grade in March, further boosting output

LONDON, Feb 24 - Nigeria's state oil firm NNPC will begin exporting a new light, sweet crude grade called Cawthorne from March, an NNPC spokesperson said, adding to a recent recovery in output from...

Hedge funds creep back into tech stocks after weeks of selling

Hedge funds last week bought the biggest tech stocks as well as those considered vulnerable to advances in artificial intelligence, said a note to clients from JPMorgan seen by Reuters on Tuesday.  ...

Middle East oil exports push tanker costs to 6-year-high amid threat of US-Iran war

The cost of shipping oil has surged to the highest in six years, fuelled by a wave of crude exports from the Middle East as traders accelerate charters ahead of possible military conflict between the...

South African rand steady with national budget in focus

The South African rand was little changed on Tuesday as markets looked ahead to Wednesday's national budget, with analysts expecting the finance minister to stick to the path of fiscal consolidation. ...

A year of upheaval sets the stage for Trump's State of the Union address

U.S. President Donald Trump will use his State of the Union address on Tuesday to sell his turbulent, norm-breaking second term to American voters who will decide in November whether his Republican...

India's drug regulator inspected 90% of cough syrup makers, found lapses in some, official says (Feb 23)

India's drug regulator has inspected nearly 90% of the country's cough syrup makers and found compliance lapses in some, its chief said on Monday, amid heightened scrutiny after India-made syrups were...

Oil hovers below seven-month high as traders eye U.S.-Iran talks, trade policy

Oil prices hovered below an almost seven-month high on Tuesday as traders gauged the outlook for U.S.-Iran nuclear talks amid heightened Middle East tensions, while also weighing uncertainty around...