Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Market Performance
Asia stocks bloomberg.com climbed as China reopened after the Lunar New Year break, with copper jumping on hopes of lower US tariffs. Chinese stocks bloomberg.com gained momentum on tariff relief expectations and strong holiday spending data, while base metals surged as traders cheered the prospect of reduced levies.
Corporate Developments
Standard Chartered ft.com launched a $1.5 billion share buyback and exceeded its 13% return on tangible equity target for 2025, achieving the goal a year ahead of schedule. Panasonic ft.com is exiting its US TV business with a handover to Chinese rival Skyworth, transferring parts of its foreign television operations.
Trade & Policy
LA Port bloomberg.com Executive Director Eugene Seroka warned that importers face significant uncertainty due to shifting US trade policy, with tariffs impacting trade volumes. Japan wsj.com continues maintaining close dialogue with the US on foreign exchange moves, according to Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama.
Economic Outlook
Oil investing.com held near seven-month highs as US-Iran talks loomed, with tariffs clouding the outlook. Marsh bloomberg.com is exploring a sale of its financial risk manager and life insurance broker for high-net-worth individuals in Asia, according to people familiar with the matter.
Industry Insights
Australian real estate bloomberg.com firms stand to gain as workers return to offices more frequently than required in the country's two largest cities, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Cautious foreign investors bloomberg.com are getting their India stock calls right, with retail investors' favorite stocks down a median 20% since January 2025.
Market Concerns
Jamie Dimon bloomberg.com sees parallels to the pre-2008 crisis era, warning that rivals are making "dumb things" as competition intensifies across the financial industry. China's steel data bloomberg.com is drawing scrutiny as analysts question whether output fell as sharply as official figures show last year, highlighting a discrepancy that could upend views on the country's appetite for raw materials.