Stock Index

Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 0.7%, with AI-themed stocks broadly under pressure as Fujikura, Advantest and SoftBank Group posted steep declines, while chip-equipment maker Tokyo Electron rose. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 3.1% led by a drop in Samsung Electronics, and China’s Alibaba slid sharply after a large share placement. Markets are watching Nvidia’s earnings and the Bank of Japan’s interest-rate policy.

All three major U.S. stock indexes finished higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.4%, the Dow rising 517 points and the Nasdaq gaining 0.4%. The 30-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed to its highest level since 2007, helping lift gold to a session high above $4,690 an ounce. Concerns over the rapid growth of U.S. government debt also pushed yields higher. The Australian dollar strengthened to US71.64¢.

Brokers have singled out early winners and laggards among S&P/ASX 200 companies as the first half of the reporting season wraps up. Zip Co’s FY26 result showed total transaction volume of A$16.7 billion, revenue of A$1.35 billion and cash EBTDA of A$268.9 million, ahead of its A$260 million guidance, alongside net profit of A$116.4 million. U.S. market transaction volume rose 42.5%, and management guided to FY27 cash EBTDA of A$340 million. Despite the update, Zip shares are still down about 23% year to date.

U.S. investors were net buyers of equity funds for a second straight week through August 19, with net inflows totaling $11.72 billion. Largecap and multicap funds drew $9.58 billion and $1.36 billion, respectively, while midcap and smallcap funds saw modest outflows. Fund demand was supported by a strong earnings season and cooler inflation data, despite pressure from a bond market selloff and rising oil prices.

Bitcoin climbed 10% intraday, pushing above $79,000 and setting up its biggest weekly gain in nearly three years. US stocks also edged higher, with the Dow up 0.5% and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each about 0.4%. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the government would expand its bond buyback programme, with each buyback exceeding $4 billion.

London shares rose on Friday, with mining stocks leading gains on the FTSE 100. Spot gold traded above $4,500 an ounce and copper held near record levels, boosting the sector. Antofagasta climbed 4% to 3,864p, while Fresnillo and Anglo American rose 3% each and Endeavour Mining gained 3%, with Glencore up 2%. Bitcoin also surged 10% to above $79,000.

European shares posted modest gains on Friday, supported by a rise in gold prices, though the region was still poised for a weekly decline. Investors weighed persistent strain in global bond markets, while a diplomatic deadlock in the Gulf lifted oil prices and renewed inflation worries. Data showed $2.44 billion flowed into European equities in the week to Aug. 12, the biggest weekly inflow since late February. Brent crude touched a one-month high of $94.71 before profit-taking emerged.

U.S. stocks ended lower, with the Dow down 0.8%, the S&P 500 off 0.3% and the Nasdaq down 0.8%. The 30-year Treasury yield climbed back to around 5.25%, weighing on equities. On the earnings front, revenue rose nearly 6% to $187.9 billion and adjusted earnings were $0.81 per share, both ahead of expectations. Labor-market data was steady, with continuing claims falling to about 1.83 million.

Major U.S. stock indexes fell on Thursday as rising government bond yields weighed on sentiment, while Walmart’s quarterly sales miss added to worries about softer consumer demand. The S&P 500 consumer staples index dropped 1.6%. Amazon and Tesla declined, while Nvidia and Apple rose and offered partial support. Investors also watched the outlook for Federal Reserve rates and inflation pressures linked to higher oil prices.

US stocks opened lower as government bond yields rose, weighing on sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 81.8 points to 53381.22, while the S&P 500 slipped 17.5 points to 7690.49. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 119.6 points to 26211.52.