Asian stocks sank on Monday amid fears of a potential collapse of the beleaguered Chinese real estate company Evergrande could lead to a wave of defaults in China's bloated housing market that could extend from the second-largest economy to the rest of the world. The company must pay this week interests on loans and bonds and experts fear it will not be able to honour creditors.
Argentine risk spreads on Monday shot to levels not seen since 2005 and sovereign bond prices fell 7.5%, as the coronavirus slammed global markets and the cash-strapped country prepared to restructure debt.
The tech-rich Nasdaq finished above 9,000 for the first time on Thursday, powering to its 10th straight record on gains by Amazon and other tech giants. The Nasdaq surged 69.51 points (0.78 percent) to finish the post-holiday session at 9,022.39.
World stock markets plunged on Monday as Beijing parried US President Donald Trump's latest tariff announcements by moving to let China's Yuan currency devalue and halting purchases of US agricultural products.
US stocks fell back into the red on Wednesday, putting equities down for three of the last four sessions as investors reacted to reports of possible new US-China trade frictions.
Most Latin American stock markets and currencies rose on Thursday, with assets in Brazil gaining on hopes of smooth progress on pension reform. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro met fellow politicians in a bid to build support to pass his government's proposal to reform the country's bloated pension system, seen by investors as crucial to trim Brazil's wide fiscal deficit.
Brazilian stocks fell sharply on Friday as the arrest of the country’s former president, Michel Temer, sparked worries that government debate over key fiscal reforms may be delayed.
Brazilian stocks topped 100,000 points for the first time Monday, on hopes for progress in President Jair Bolsonaro's promised pro-market reforms. The Ibovespa, the country's main index in Sao Paulo, hit an intra-day record of 100,037.69 before closing at its highest level ever of 99,993.93, up 0.86% from the previous trading session.
The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it aimed to wrap up talks to “strengthen” a US$ 50 billion backup financing deal with Argentina “as rapidly as possible,” as the country's peso and stocks climbed for a second straight day.
The Brazilian Real erased early losses on Tuesday after state prosecutors charged Workers Party vice presidential candidate Fernando Haddad with corruption, driving investors to pare bets on his electoral strength.