Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia Edition

Hong Kong's worst residential fire in more than half a century has killed at least 44 people and left hundreds missing, as rescue workers race to extinguish the blaze and Chinese President Xi Jinping urges all-out efforts to reduce casualties. Rescue efforts continued overnight after a fire that began around 3 p.m. Wednesday turned an eight-tower housing block in northern Hong Kong into an inferno, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Officials said the blaze began on a section of the bamboo scaffolding encasing the complex, which is still widely used in the city. Bloomberg's Minmin Low is on site. Investors continue to keep an eye on the increasing probability of a December interest rate cut. What does that mean for Asian Markets? We heard from Hartmut Issel, UBS Wealth Management Head of APAC Equities and Credit. He spoke to Bloomberg's Avril Hong and Shery Ahn on the Asia Trade. Plus - Wall Street extended its rally on Wednesday. Tech stocks led the climb in US equities as rising expectations for interest-rate cuts helped carry traders' newfound optimism into the Thanksgiving break. Also, the latest Fed survey showed little change in US economic activity during recent weeks. The so-called Beige Book also found employment declined slightly -- and prices rose moderately. We spoke to Patrick Kennedy, Founding Partner at All Source Investment Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks extended their gains into a third day, tracking advances on Wall Street as weak US consumer data lifted bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut next month. MSCI's regional stock gauge rose 1.2%. Almost all of the 11 industry groups in the index advanced, with as many as three stocks gaining for every one that fell. That came after US benchmarks posted their third day of gains. Chinese equities opened steady as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. shares fell as much as 2.8% in Hong Kong trading after its earnings. For more outlook on the markets, we spoke to William Bratton, Head of Cash Equity Research for the Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas. Plus - US consumer confidence slid in November by the most in seven months on growing anxiety about the labor market and the economy. The Conference Board's gauge decreased 6.8 points to 88.7, data out Tuesday showed. The figure was weaker than all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists. A gauge of expectations for the next six months declined to the lowest level since April, while a measure of present conditions slumped to a more than one-year low. And in regards to individual stock movers, Alphabet Inc. came off session highs that had driven the search giant closer to a $4 trillion valuation, after The Information reported that Meta Platforms Inc. is in talks to use Google's AI chips. Shares of Nvidia Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Oracle Corp. remained lower. We get perspective from Jim Worden, CIO, The Wealth Consulting Group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday held their first talks since agreeing to a tariff truce last month, discussing trade, Taiwan and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Trump said the telephone call was "very good" and that the leaders spoke about purchases of soybeans and other farm products as well as curbing shipments of illegal fentanyl. The US president said he agreed to visit Beijing in April, and that he had invited Xi for a state visit next year. "Our relationship with China is extremely strong!" Trump posted on social media. "There has been significant progress on both sides in keeping our agreements current and accurate. Now we can set our sights on the big picture." But the US president's readout of the call sidestepped one issue — the self-governing island of Taiwan — that was a central focus for Xi. The Chinese leader told Trump that the return of Taiwan to China is a key part of the post-World War II international order, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. Xi also said the two countries should keep the positive momentum generated during their meeting last month in South Korea and expand cooperation, the statement said. There is a lot to be said about artificial intelligence. Nvidia reported earnings last week that beat analyst expectations. Also, the White House says President Trump is weighing whether to allow Nvidia Corp. to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips to China and will be the one to make a final decision on the matter. For more on the AI trade, we speak to Ritesh Ganeriwal, Syfe's Head of Investment and Advisory. Plus: Investors are boosting bets on the Federal Reserve cutting rates next month. For more, we spoke to Rob Haworth, Senior Investment Strategy Director, U.S. Bank Asset Management Group. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US officials are having early discussions on whether to let Nvidia sell its H200 artificial intelligence chips to China, according to people familiar with the matter. Helen Zhu, Managing Partner and CIO at NF Trinity, recaps last week in the AI trade, and the current the appetite for risk assets. Plus, markets are looking ahead to more shutdown-delayed data and the Fed's Beige Book survey. Grace Glockner, Director of National Accounts & Investment Team Member at Scharf Investments, discusses the AI trade, the recent consumer sentiment data, and how "Steady Eddie" companies are shaping her outlook for the New Year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager takes a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan's inflation ticked up in October, and the BOJ may be on track for a rate hike. Masa Takeda, Portfolio Manager at the Hennessy Japan Fund, discusses how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's economic package could address inflation. Plus, the S&P closed lower with morning gains from Nvidia earnings evaporating. Adam Coons, CO-CIO at Winthrop Capital Management, talks today's trading. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia Corp. delivered a surprisingly strong revenue forecast and pushed back on the idea that the AI industry is in a bubble, easing concerns that had spread across the tech sector. The world's most valuable company expects sales of about $65 billion in the January quarter — roughly $3 billion more than analysts predicted. Nvidia also said that a half-trillion-dollar revenue bonanza due in coming quarters may be even bigger than anticipated. The outlook signals that demand remains robust for Nvidia's artificial intelligence accelerators, the pricey and powerful chips used to develop AI models. Nvidia had faced growing fears in recent weeks that the runaway spending on such equipment wasn't sustainable. And we heard from CEO Jensen Huang. He spoke to Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow. Plus - Many Federal Reserve officials said it would likely be appropriate to keep interest rates steady for the remainder of 2025, according to minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee's October 28-29 meeting. The record of the meeting, released Wednesday in Washington, also showed "several" policymakers were against lowering the Fed's benchmark rate at that gathering. "Many participants suggested that, under their economic outlooks, it would likely be appropriate to keep the target range unchanged for the rest of the year," the minutes said. Still, "several participants" said another cut "could well be appropriate in December if the economy evolved about as they expected" before the next meeting. For his perspective, we spoke to Clayton Triick, Head of Portfolio Management: Public Strategies, Angel Oak Capital Advisors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, is set to deliver a quarterly report Wednesday that could assure Wall Street that the AI computing boom continues apace — or fuel fears that the tech industry is in a bubble. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said late last month that he has orders that will deliver $500 billion of revenue over the next few quarters and that spending on new equipment is increasingly paying off for customers. Still, the bubble fears have contributed to a recent stock selloff, with investors fretting that capital spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure will create a glut. For a preview, we speak to Jed Ellerbroek, Portfolio Manager at Argent Capital Management. Plus - the New Economy Forum in Singapore has begun. Bloomberg had the chance to catch up with top business names. That includes Bob Diamond, Atlas Mechant Capital founding partner and CEO and former Barclays CEO. He spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US equities retreated ahead of Nvidia earnings. Matt Sallee, Executive Vice President, Head of Investments at Tortoise Capital shares what he's expecting across the AI trade. Bitcoin drops sharply from its October high. Kelvin Tay, Regional CIO for UBS Global Wealth Management, discusses what's driving the price action of markets in the Asia Pacifc. Plus, 'Baby Shark' creator Pinkfong's IPO in South Korea. Shares jumped as much as 62% on their trading debut as investors snapped up the studio behind YouTube’s most-viewed jingle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crucial data will arrive for investors this week. Nvidia will report earnings, with the chipmaker seen as a bellwether for the AI trade. US weekly jobless claims data and September payrolls are set to release on Thursday. Chris Maxey, Managing Director and Chief Market Strategist at Wealthspire Advisors, discusses how these reports will impact the markets. Plus, Japan's 3Q GDP saw its the first decline in six quarters. Trinh Nguyen, Natixis Emerging Markets Asia Economist, provides a cautious outlook for emerging markets in 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks fell after uncertainty over Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts and stretched valuations in technology shares dragged Wall Street lower. Gauges in Japan, South Korea and Australia all opened weaker, even as an index of the region was poised for its third gain in four weeks. We then take you to the Citi China Conference in Shanghai, where Citi CEO Jane Fraser spoke to Bloomberg's Stephen Engle. They discussed Citi's growing presence in China, the current state of the US economy, and her views on how to deploy AI in the financial sector. In the states, investors are bracing for a flurry of economic data now that the government shut-down is over. Stocks fell, led by a decline in tech stocks was met by concern that the Federal Reserve's plans for a December rate cut maybe in doubt. For a closer look, we spoke to Mike Green, Chief Strategist and Portfolio Manager for Simplify Asset Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global shares held a three-day gain that took them to within touching distance of a record high as the US House passed a bill to end the longest-ever government shutdown. Asian shares and the MSCI All Country World Index fluctuated between small gains and losses as investors stayed cautious with limited economic data clouding the outlook for Federal Reserve policy. Yifan Hu, Chief Investment Officer and Head of APAC Macroeconomics at UBS Wealth Management spoke to Bloomberg's Annabelle Droulers and Yvonne Man and she gave her outlook on the Chinese economy. Plus - The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed for a fourth straight day in anticipation ahead of the end of the record breaking US government shutdown. For more on the markets, we spoke to Mike Dickson, Head of Research & Quantitative Strategies at Horizon Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's Singles Day shopping festival is off to a record start. E-commerce giant JD.com says orders jumped nearly 60%, with shoppers up 40% from last year — defying concerns that deflation is weighing on consumer demand. In the U.S., there's growing optimism the government shutdown will end soon. UBS Managing Director and Financial Advisor Xi Qiao tells Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong what that could mean for Asia. Plus, the Dow Jones closed at a record high as investors piled into stocks beyond the AI giants. Merck was among the day's top gainers. We get perspective from Dean Smith, Chief Strategist and Marketing Officer at FolioBeyond. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks advanced for a second consecutive day as progress toward ending the record-long US government shutdown lifted sentiment, sparking a cross-asset rally from commodities to cryptocurrencies. President Donald Trump said he "at some point" would reduce the tariff rate on Indian goods, saying the US was getting "pretty close" to a trade deal with New Delhi."Right now they don't love me, but they'll love us again," Trump said. "We're getting a fair deal." Trump later predicted the nations were "pretty close to doing a deal that's good for everybody." The comments were the latest signal of a possible thaw in the trade dispute that has soured the relationship between the US and India. We heard from Kurt Campbell, Chairman and Co-Founder of The Asia Group. He spoke to Bloomberg's Paul Allen at the UBS Australasia Summit. In the states - Wall Street traders piled into riskier corners of the market, with stocks climbing alongside Bitcoin as the US Senate advanced a plan to end the longest-ever government shutdown, which would remove a significant economic headwind. Bonds lost steam. The risk-on bid lifted the S&P 500 by 1.5%. Technology megacaps, which had been hit the hardest in recent sessions, saw their biggest advance since May. We spoke to Chuck Cumello, President & Chief Executive Officer of Essex Financial. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The record-breaking US government shutdown is nearing an end after a group of moderate Senate Democrats agreed to support a deal to reopen the government and fund some departments and agencies for the next year, people familiar with the talks said. Under the agreement, Congress would pass full-year funding for the departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs and Congress itself, while funding other agencies through Jan. 30. The bill would provide pay for furloughed government workers, resume withheld federal payments to states and localities and recall agency employees who were laid off during the shutdown. US stock-index futures jumped in early Asian trading. For more on the early market action in Asia, we turn to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - the US Government shutdown has delayed the release of two monthly jobs reports and may also impact the release of a key inflation snapshot, creating a data fog for the Federal Reserve. The absence of official reports on inflation and the job market will prolong the debate about whether another rate cut is needed at the Fed's December meeting, with some economists predicting that October's figures would have supported a rate cut. Fed officials will have to rely on retroactive surveys and private-sector reports to inform their decisions, with several appearances by Fed officials in the coming week, including John Williams, Raphael Bostic, Stephen Miran, and Alberto Musalem, being closely watched by investors. We speak to Chris Carey, Portfolio Manager, Carnegie Investment Counsel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian equities fell after Wall Street shares declined, weighed down by concerns over stretched artificial intelligence valuations and signs of a cooling labor market. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.6%, led by declines in Japan, putting the gauge on track for its first drop in three weeks. US equity benchmarks dropped for the second time in three sessions with AI-related stocks such as Nvidia Corp. tumbling, while a closely watched volatility gauge spiked. We heard from Pruksa Iamthongthong, Aberdeen Investments Head of Equities Asia Pacific. She spoke to Bloomberg's Yvonne Man and David Ingles. Plus - Tesla Inc. shareholders approved a $1 trillion compensation package for Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, the largest payout ever awarded to a corporate leader. The pay agreement clears a path for Musk, the world's richest person, to become the first-ever trillionaire and expand his stake in Tesla to 25% or more over the next decade. To achieve the full payout, he'll have to deliver on targets to significantly expand Tesla's market value, revive its flagging car business and get the fledgling robotaxi and Optimus robotics efforts off the ground. And in the US, volatility lashed Wall Street, with strong evidence of a cooling labor market pushing high-valuation tech stocks and crypto to big losses while bonds rallied on bets the Federal Reserve will cut rates. We spoke to Clark Geranen, Chief Investment Officer, CalBay Investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asian stocks rose at the open, following Wall Street's lead, where buyers stepped in after a brief retreat in technology shares and signs of a resilient US labor market boosted investor sentiment. Also in the states, the US Supreme Court appeared skeptical of President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs, as key justices suggested he had overstepped his authority with his signature economic policy. We speak to Mark Cranfield, Bloomberg MLIV Strategist. Plus - While Wall Street didn't see a buying stampede, equities were able to bounce following a slide that underscored worries over how stretched the market has become and how sensitive it is to unfavorable news. Chipmakers, which bore the brunt of the recent selling, jumped on Wednesday. For more on the markets, we speak to Robert Schein, Chief Investment Officer, Blanke Schein Wealth Management. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the US, risky assets slid, with tech stocks and cryptocurrencies bearing the brunt of the selling, after long-simmering concerns about lofty valuations were fanned anew by a chorus of Wall Street executives who warned investors to brace for a pullback. In South Korea, the equity benchmark slumped as valuation concerns hammered recent winners such as chip stocks, defense and shipbuilders. For more on the latest market action, we heard from Anna Wu, VanEck Cross-Asset Investment Specialist. She spoke to Bloomberg's Shery Ahn and Avril Hong. Plus - we go to Singapore, where we speak to Sandeep Malhotra, Mastercard Executive Vice President for Core Payments in Asia Pacific. He talks about how technology, partnerships, and regulation are redefining how money moves across the region. From real-time payments to cross-border interoperability and the role of AI in fraud prevention, Malhotra shares how Mastercard is modernizing its core network while supporting financial inclusion. We also explore how consumer behavior and digital infrastructure in Asia are influencing global payment trends. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.