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The EUR/USD exchange rate will be in the spotlight in the next two days as the European Central Bank (ECB) delivers its interest rate decision and the US publishes the latest nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data. It was trading at 1.1420, up from last month’s low of 1.1060. 

ECB interest rate decision

The main EUR/USD news will be Thursday’s ECB interest rate decision. Economists expect the bank to slash interest rates by 0.25% as it supports the economy because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The case for a rate cut rose this week when Eurostat published the latest European consumer inflation data. The number showed that the bloc’s inflation dropped below 2% for the first time in months.

European inflation has dropped because of the strong euro, which has jumped by over 10% from its lowest point this year. A stronger euro lowers European inflation by making energy costs more affordable. 

Economists believe that the ECB will deliver another rate cut by the end of the year, bringing the official cash rate to 1.75%. 

The EUR/USD pair will likely have a muted to the ECB decision, as it has done in the past, since market participants have priced them in. In a note, analysts at ING said:

“The ECB meeting is the main event for EUR rates, but with markets fully priced for a cut, the reaction to such an outcome should be muted, in particular if the ECB offers little further guidance.”

In theory, the EUR/USD pair should be in a downward trend for two reasons. First, global risks are still elevated because of Donald Trump’s policies, which would boost the US dollar, which is often seen as a safe-haven currency. 

Second, the EUR/USD should be falling because of the carry trade situation. Carry trade is the practice of borrowing in a low-interest rate currency to invest in a high-yielding one. 

US NFP data ahead

The next key catalyst for the EUR/USD pair will be Friday’s nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data, which will shed more color on the state of the economy. 

These numbers come two days after ADP sent shockwaves after publishing the private payrolls report on Wednesday. ADP said that the economy created just 37k jobs in May, the worst performance in months. 

Donald Trump used the jobs data to press Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve Chair to cut interest rates. The Fed has hinted that it will wait and see before cutting rates as it observes impact of Trump’s tariffs. 

Economists expect the jobs report to show that the economy created 117k jobs in May even as companies dealt with Trump’s tariffs.

Trump has continued to warn of more tariffs recently. He has already boosted steel and aluminium tariffs to 50%, and warned that China was not fulfilling its obligations as per the recent deal. 

EUR/USD technical analysis

EUR/USD chart by TradingView

The outlook for the EUR/USD pair is bullish because it has formed a giant cup-and-handle pattern. The upper side of the cup is at 1.1452 and the lower side is at 1.0185. This gives it a depth of 9.21%. 

Now, measuring the same distance from the cup’s upper side gives it a target of 1.2232, which is about 7.1% from the current level. For this to happen, the pair needs to move above the key resistance at 1.1570, the highest point in April. Moving above that level will invalidate the forming double-top pattern.

The post EUR/USD forecast: here’s why the euro surge has room to run appeared first on Invezz

Laopu Gold Co.’s extraordinary stock surge is facing a test of durability.

After soaring more than 2,300% since its June 2024 debut, the jewellery maker’s shares crossed the HK$1,000 mark — a rare feat that has now introduced a different kind of challenge: access.

Despite the surge making Laopu the most expensive stock on the Hong Kong exchange — eclipsing Mixue Group’s HK$580 — the milestone comes with a high barrier to entry.

Laopu requires a minimum purchase of 100 shares, equating to HK$100,000 ($12,750), a sum that may price out everyday investors.

Though odd-lot trading is technically possible through brokerages, such trades often involve longer execution times and higher fees, further limiting participation from smaller investors.

Stock shows signs of strain amid valuation concerns

On Thursday, the stock briefly touched HK$1,015 before falling as much as 9.4%.

The volatility suggests investors may be reassessing the stock’s valuation.

Laopu currently trades at 32 times forward earnings, compared with Chow Tai Fook’s 16 — raising questions about the sustainability of its price.

“Laopu is excessively expensive in my view, based on cash flow, even though growth looks promising,” said Yu Dingheng, fund manager at Shenzhen Flying Tiger Investment & Management Co. in a Bloomberg report.

HK$1,000 is going to be a tough hurdle.

Source: Bloomberg

Lockup expiry could trigger market pressure

Adding to the pressure is an upcoming lockup expiry on June 27, which will release 121.4 million shares — more than double the current free float — into the market.

A smaller expiry of 10.8 million shares in December led to Laopu’s worst weekly performance since listing, signaling the risk that the larger release may rattle investors.

Analysts warn that such an influx could test whether institutional interest is strong enough to absorb the added supply without dragging down prices.

Calls grow for greater accessibility

Hong Kong’s exchange has reportedly been exploring changes to make expensive stocks more accessible.

Currently, firms set their own board lot sizes, and while this gives flexibility, it can also freeze out retail interest when share prices surge.

Laopu has not yet indicated whether it will consider a stock split — a step taken by Tencent in 2014 and Zai Lab in 2022 — that would reduce the per-share price and improve liquidity.

IPO enthusiasm meets post-rally caution

Laopu’s blockbuster IPO was nearly 600 times oversubscribed in the retail segment, prompting the company to expand its retail allocation sixfold to 11.2 million shares.

But with a steep valuation, limited retail access, and a wave of new shares poised to enter the market, the company’s gravity-defying run may soon meet more grounded investor sentiment.

The post Laopu Gold’s HK$1,000 share price tests rally as valuation, access concerns mount appeared first on Invezz

Shiba Inu price has underperformed the market in the past few months, and its on-chain data shows that the worst may happen. SHIB price was trading at $0.00001285 on Thursday morning, down by 28% from its highest point this year. It has lagged behind most altcoins like Pepe and Dogwifhat.

Shiba Inu price at risk amid weak on-chain metrics

The chart below is a compilation of several important metrics that point to more SHIB price crash in the coming months. First, the orange bars show that the number of daily active addresses has been declining after peaking in February. In most cases, a cryptocurrency do well when there are more active addresses interacting with it.

Second, the red line shows that the network growth has slumped to its lowest point in over a year. A falling network growth means that fewer addresses are being created a day, signaling low demand for the coin.

Third, more data shows that the number of Shiba Inu transactions have plummeted in the past few months. It had just 2,700 transactions on Thursday, much lower than the year-to-date high of almost 4,000.

More data shows that Shiba Inu whales have given up on it and started to capitulate. The total supply of Shiba Inu coins held by whales has plunged to 718 trillion from over 743 trillion earlier this year. Whale selling is a sign that they expect the coin to continue falling in the coming months.

Read more: Shiba Inu price prediction: mapping out potential SHIB scenarios

This is notable since these whales are selling the coin at a loss as the network realized profit/loss has plunged to minus 134. A negative NPL is a bad sign since it means that SHIB holders are tired of waiting for a turnaround. Many of them sell the coin so that they can move to othe, better-performing assets. 

Further, the 365-day Mean Dollar Invested Age (MDIA) shows that it has started to come down. T moved from 161 in May to 157 today, a sign that selling is happening.

Shiba Inu on-chain data | Source: Santiment

More SHIB data point to a sell-off

Further, more Shiba Inu data points to a more prolonged sell-off in the coming weeks. First, CoinGecko numbers show that Shiba Inu’s demand has largely dried up in the past few months as investors focus other meme coins. 

Despite having a market cap of over $7.5 billion, Shiba Inu had a 24-hour volume of $127 million. In contrast, Dogwifhat, which has a market cap of over $884 million, had a 24-hour volume of $366 million. 

Shiba Inu’s volume was also lower than that of BUILDon, a new coin valued at $395 million that had $130 million in volume. 

Further, fewer Shiba Inu coins are being removed from circulation through burning. While the daily burn rate rose by 118% on Thursday, the core figure was 31 million, equivalent to less than $400, a tiny amount for one of the biggest players in the crypto industry.

SHIB coin price technical analysis

SHIB price chart | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the SHIB price has come under pressure in the past few weeks, and its recent attempts to recover have found strong resistance at $0.00001760. 

SHIB price has formed a bearish flag chart pattern, comprising of a vertical line and a rectangle formation. This pattern often leads to more downside, which may happen soon now that it has moved to the lower side of the channel.

Shiba Inu price remains below the 50-day and 100-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMA). Therefore, this coin will likely continue falling as sellers target the year-to-date low of $0.00001037.

The post Shiba Inu price prediction: the plot thickens for SHIB appeared first on Invezz

Crypto prices remained in a tight range on Thursday as Bitcoin struggled to move above the key resistance level at $105,000. Most altcoins retreated, with meme coins falling by double digits. This article forecasts some of the most active cryptocurrencies like Fartcoin, Livepeer, Grass, and Dego Finance.

Fartcoin price prediction

Fartcoin, one of the most popular Solana meme coins, surged by over 400% a few months ago. It moved from a low of $0.2097 to a high of $1.6520 in May. This surge helped to stimulate the recent surge among Solana meme coins. 

The momentum has faded in the past few days as the Fartcoin price has plunged by over 45% and moved below the psychological point at $1. It has crashed below the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA). 

Further, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) has continued falling and is nearing the oversold level. Also, the MACD has crossed the zero line and is in a strong downtrend, a sign that it has lost momentum. 

Worse, Fartcoin price has moved below the 61.8% Fibonacci Retracement level at $1.0530. Therefore, the path of the least resistance for the coin is bearish, with the next point to watch being the 78.6% retracement point at $0.5970. A move above the resistance level at $1.3545 will invalidate the bullish view. 

Fartcoin price chart | Source: TradingView

Livepeer price analysis 

Livepeer is a top crypto project in the artificial intelligence and video space. It runs a decentralized platform that enables people to share their bandwidth, which is used for video streamers.

The developers also launched Daydream, a generative AI platform that turns live camera input into animated visuals. It is a useful tool used by marketers, creators, and other stakeholders. 

Livepeer price surged last week, reaching a high of $14.23, the highest point since January 18 of this year. Its highest point was up by 330% from its lowest point this year. 

LPT price then pulled back to a low of $7.58 as the rally lost momentum. On the positive side, it has moved above the 50-day Exponential Moving Average, and has formed a rounded bottom pattern.

Livepeer price chart | Source: TradingView

Therefore, the token will likely have a bullish breakout as bulls target last year’s high of $14.23. If this happens, it will form a double-top pattern, a highly bearish sign that will mark the end of the recent rally. A move above the double-top point will signal more gains.

Read more: XRP price prediction: Here’s why Ripple Coin May Rally Soon

Grass price technical analysis

Grass is a top utility and AI cryptocurrency that has gained more traction in the past few weeks. The 12-hour chart shows that the Grass price was trading at $1.9490, up by 43% from the lowest point in May.

Grass price has formed a rising broadening wedge pattern, a popular bullish sign in the market. This pattern is also known as a giant megaphone pattern and it often leads to more gains over time. 

Grass price chart | Source: TradingView

Therefore, the Grass crypto price will likely resume the downtrend soon since it remains below the 50-period and 25-period moving average. A drop below the key support at $1.6457 will point to more downside. 

Dego Finance price forecast

The 12-hour chart shows that the DEGO price has plunged this week. It has moved from a high of $2.888 to a low of $1.2430, its lowest point on record. This 50% plunge mirrored the performance of Mantra, a token that plunged by over 90% in 24 hours. 

The ongoing DEGO price crash happened likely as insiders dumped their tokens after it jumped by over 115% in the past few months. DEGO price has crashed below all moving averages.

DEGO price chart | Source: TradingView

The most likely scenario is where it continues plunging as investors remain in the sidelines. However, there is a likelihood that it may have a dead cat bounce, where it rebounds and then resumes the downtrend.

Read more: Shiba Inu price prediction: the plot thickens for SHIB

The post Crypto price prediction: Fartcoin, Livepeer, Grass, Dego Finance appeared first on Invezz

The NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF (SPYI) has become one of the top “boomer candy” funds in the past few years. It has attracted over $3.8 billion in assets under management and has beaten other similar funds. This article explores whether the SPYI ETF is a good fund to buy.

What is the NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF?

The NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF is a covered call ETF that aims to achieve two goals: provide regular income to investors and an exposure to the S&P 500 Index. The S&P 500 index is one of the most popular assets, tracking the top 500 companies in the country. 

The SPYI has a stake in all companies in the index, including popular names like NVIDIA, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Meta Platforms. By doing this, the fund benefits as the S&P 500 Index rises, but to some extent. 

The other part of the fund is known where it uses the options market, which lets one place call and put trades. A call option gives users the right but not the obligation to buy an asset, while a put does the opposite.

The SPYI’s options strategy has two components: writing call options on the S&P 500 Index and using the premium received to buy out-of-the-money call options on the index. 

By using this strategy, the fund is able to generate returns in three ways: the performance of the S&P 500 Index, dividend paid by companies in the fund, and the options premium. 

The only limitation for the fund is the options strike price. If the S&P 500 Index surges and hits the strike price, the fund misses out on the rally.  This explains why the price return of many covered call ETFs is usually lower than the benchmark.

Read more: JEPQ vs JEPI: Are these boomer candy ETFs good buys in 2025?

Is SPYI ETF a good fund to buy?

SPYI vs JEPI ETFs

The SPYI ETF has an expense ratio of 0.68%, higher than most passive ETFs. funds like the Vanguard S&P 500 (VOO) and iShares S&P 500 (IVV). This ratio is understandable since it has more expenses because it is an actively managed fund. 

The benefit of investing in the SPYI ETF is its high dividend yield of 12.3%. This means that a $10,000 investment will generate about $1,200 in dividends annually. It will also have more gains if the S&P 500 Index rises. 

The other benefit, which explains why the SPYI ETF beats the JPMorgan Premium Equity ETF (JEPI) is that the manager uses tax loss harvesting to reduce taxes. It also beats JEPI because it invests in all companies in the S&P 500, while the former buys about 135 of them. 

The SPYI ETF has had a total return of 2.35% this year, higher than JEPI’s 0.55%. Its performance in the last three years was 40% compared to JEPI’s 26%. Similarly, as shown below, its 12-month returns were 12.5%, higher than JEPI’s 7.3%.

SPYI ETF technical analysis

SPYI ETF stock chart by TradingView

The daily chart shows that the SPYI stock price has been in a strong uptrend in the past few months. It moved from a low of $40.75 on April 7 to a high of $50, its highest point since February 24. 

The stock has moved above the 50-day and 100-day moving averages. Also, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and the MACD have all pointed upwards. Therefore, the stock will likely keep rising, with the next point to watch being at $50.4. A move above that level will point to more gains.

The post SPYI ETF: Is this 12% yielding JEPI rival a good fund to buy? appeared first on Invezz

The EUR/USD exchange rate will be in the spotlight in the next two days as the European Central Bank (ECB) delivers its interest rate decision and the US publishes the latest nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data. It was trading at 1.1420, up from last month’s low of 1.1060. 

ECB interest rate decision

The main EUR/USD news will be Thursday’s ECB interest rate decision. Economists expect the bank to slash interest rates by 0.25% as it supports the economy because of Donald Trump’s tariffs.

The case for a rate cut rose this week when Eurostat published the latest European consumer inflation data. The number showed that the bloc’s inflation dropped below 2% for the first time in months.

European inflation has dropped because of the strong euro, which has jumped by over 10% from its lowest point this year. A stronger euro lowers European inflation by making energy costs more affordable. 

Economists believe that the ECB will deliver another rate cut by the end of the year, bringing the official cash rate to 1.75%. 

The EUR/USD pair will likely have a muted to the ECB decision, as it has done in the past, since market participants have priced them in. In a note, analysts at ING said:

“The ECB meeting is the main event for EUR rates, but with markets fully priced for a cut, the reaction to such an outcome should be muted, in particular if the ECB offers little further guidance.”

In theory, the EUR/USD pair should be in a downward trend for two reasons. First, global risks are still elevated because of Donald Trump’s policies, which would boost the US dollar, which is often seen as a safe-haven currency. 

Second, the EUR/USD should be falling because of the carry trade situation. Carry trade is the practice of borrowing in a low-interest rate currency to invest in a high-yielding one. 

US NFP data ahead

The next key catalyst for the EUR/USD pair will be Friday’s nonfarm payrolls (NFP) data, which will shed more color on the state of the economy. 

These numbers come two days after ADP sent shockwaves after publishing the private payrolls report on Wednesday. ADP said that the economy created just 37k jobs in May, the worst performance in months. 

Donald Trump used the jobs data to press Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve Chair to cut interest rates. The Fed has hinted that it will wait and see before cutting rates as it observes impact of Trump’s tariffs. 

Economists expect the jobs report to show that the economy created 117k jobs in May even as companies dealt with Trump’s tariffs.

Trump has continued to warn of more tariffs recently. He has already boosted steel and aluminium tariffs to 50%, and warned that China was not fulfilling its obligations as per the recent deal. 

EUR/USD technical analysis

EUR/USD chart by TradingView

The outlook for the EUR/USD pair is bullish because it has formed a giant cup-and-handle pattern. The upper side of the cup is at 1.1452 and the lower side is at 1.0185. This gives it a depth of 9.21%. 

Now, measuring the same distance from the cup’s upper side gives it a target of 1.2232, which is about 7.1% from the current level. For this to happen, the pair needs to move above the key resistance at 1.1570, the highest point in April. Moving above that level will invalidate the forming double-top pattern.

The post EUR/USD forecast: here’s why the euro surge has room to run appeared first on Invezz

Wise share price continued its strong rally this week after the company published strong financial results. It also jumped after announcing a major strategy shift that will see it change its primary listing from London to the US. Its stock jumped for nine consecutive weeks and is up by over 40% from its lowest point this year.

Why Wise share price is surging

The Wise stock price is in a strong trajectory after the management announced the plan to change the primary listing from London to the US. This is a major blow to the London Stock Exchange, which has lost several prominent companies like Flutter and Ashtead.

The company hopes that listing in the US will help it become a well-known brand in the country. The listing will also help it get a deeper liquidity since the US market is more active than the US. The statement said:

“A dual listing would also enable us to continue serving our UK-based Owners effectively, as part of our ongoing commitment to the UK. The UK is home to some of the best talent in the world in financial services and technology, and we will continue to invest in our presence here to fuel our UK and global growth.”

Growth is continuing

Wise share price surged as investors reacted to its strong financial results as its growth accelerated. In a statement, the firm said that its cross-border volume jumped by 23% to £145.2 billion. This growth happened because of the strong brand awareness and the popularity of its Wise account.

Wise had over 15.6 million users, with personal customers growing by 22%. While most of these customers use one product, more of them have started expanding to other solutions like its multi-currency accounts.

This growth helped to push its revenue up by 15% to over £1.2 billion in the last financial year. Its annual profit rose by 18% to £416 million, and the management expects that the growth will gain steam.

One catalyst for the strong revenue growth was high interest rates, which helped it earn more money from customer deposits.

Wise hopes that a US listing will help it achieve a better valuation. However, there are concerns that it is currently overvalued as stablecoin transactions surge. Wise has a market cap of £12 billion, meaning that it has a price-to-earnings ratio of 28, which is higher than other comparable fintech companies. 

Wise stock price forecast

Wise stock price analysis | Source: TradingView

The daily chart shows that the Wise stock price has been in a strong rally in the past few months. It then made a bullish breakout above the key resistance level at 1,128 on Thursday, the highest swing on February 5. It invalidated the double-top pattern by moving above that level.

The stock has jumped above all moving averages, while the MACD and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) pointed upwards. Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the Wise share price continues rising, with the next point to watch being at 1,250p. 

The post Top 2 reasons why the Wise share price is surging today appeared first on Invezz

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has filed a formal complaint with EU authorities against Chinese fast fashion giant Shein, alleging that the company uses a series of manipulative digital marketing techniques of “dark” practices to influence consumer behaviour.

The complaint, backed by 21 national watchdogs, claims these practices encourage overconsumption, mislead customers, and violate EU consumer protection laws.

Fake countdown timers, low-stock alerts pressuring users to buy

The 29-page complaint submitted to the European Commission highlights Shein’s use of alleged fake countdown timers, low stock alerts, nagging practices that create a fear of missing out, and forced sign-ups as examples of deceptive techniques that pressure users into making quick purchases.

Among the practices cited is “confirm shaming,” where shoppers are made to feel guilty for abandoning their carts or skipping sales.

The practice was “leading to severe detrimental consequences on consumers and society at large”, creating wardrobes full of barely used clothes, and production methods that may use chemicals that are harmful to the environment, the BEUC said.

It added that Shein’s marketing tactics are particularly harmful in the context of the environmental crisis caused by fast fashion.

The watchdog further accused Shein of leveraging misleading product labels, falsely suggesting added value in features that are already required by EU law.

The complaint urges regulators to mandate Shein to back up marketing claims—such as “stocks are low” or “sales ending soon”—with actual data.

If such proof cannot be provided, BEUC argues the company should be banned from using such messages in the European Union.

Environmental and health concerns deepen the case

Beyond concerns of consumer manipulation, BEUC’s complaint also cites Shein’s role in promoting unsustainable consumption habits.

The group claims the brand encourages buying habits that harm the environment and may expose users to potentially hazardous chemicals found in cheap textiles and accessories.

“On the one hand, they promote excessive spending and trigger economic losses for consumers. On the other hand, they stir overconsumption of clothing, which often also contains harmful chemicals, hence misleading and disempowering consumers in their efforts towards the green transition,” it said.

Ultimately, these practices fuel the environmental and societal problems caused by the fast fashion industry,” it said in its submission.

The latest complaint follows a growing wave of scrutiny from European regulators.

In February, the EU and its Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network began a formal investigation into Shein’s compliance with EU consumer laws.

Last week, Shein was notified by the Commission and CPC network of multiple legal breaches, including fake discounts and deceptive product descriptions.

Shein defends itself, criticises watchdogs’ refusal to meet

In response, Shein expressed disappointment at BEUC’s refusal to engage in dialogue, claiming that the organisation had rejected repeated meeting requests over several years.

“This unwillingness to engage is extremely disappointing, particularly in light of Shein’s growing popularity among European consumers,” it said.

“Consumers would be best served if BEUC agreed to meet with us, allow us to explain our operations, and discuss openly and transparently any concerns they have. Unfortunately, they have chosen to reject each and every one of our many meeting requests over the last several years,” it said.

Despite the defence, Shein’s mounting regulatory troubles in Europe mark a critical moment for the global fast fashion brand, which faces increasing pressure to reform its marketing strategies, product safety practices, and environmental impact in one of its fastest-growing markets.

The post EU watchdog accuses Shein of ‘dark’ practices to ‘nag’ and ‘shame’ consumers into buying more appeared first on Invezz

European stock markets commenced Thursday’s trading session with a cautiously optimistic tone, as major indices posted slight gains.

Investor attention is squarely focused on the European Central Bank (ECB), which is widely anticipated to announce an interest rate cut later today, a move markets have been pricing in amidst a complex global economic backdrop.

Shortly after the opening bell, European equities were broadly trading in positive, albeit muted, territory.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index had gained around 0.1%, reflecting a general holding pattern ahead of the ECB’s pivotal announcement.

Sector performance was mixed, but major national bourses were all ticking higher.

While gains in London and Frankfurt were subdued, the French CAC 40 was up by 0.1%, indicating a degree of underlying positive sentiment.

The main event for European investors today is the ECB’s latest monetary policy decision, scheduled to be announced at 2:15 p.m. Central European Time.

According to LSEG data, markets are overwhelmingly pricing in a 25-basis-point cut to the central bank’s key interest rate.

Such a move would bring the deposit facility rate down to 2%, marking a significant policy shift.

Inflation battle nears end, growth concerns linger

Analysts at Danske Bank, in a note to clients on Thursday morning, suggested that while “the fight against inflation is almost over” in the eurozone, economic growth in the region is likely to remain below its potential this year.

They attributed this subdued growth outlook to the impact of US trade policies and cautious consumer behavior.

“We view the risks to inflation as balanced since energy prices could increase more than expected while growth could be weaker than projected,” the Danske Bank analysts stated, as quoted by CNBC.

The ECB is anticipated to reduce the deposit rate to 1.5% this year, as we believe it is necessary to move into slightly accommodative territory to prevent de-anchoring inflation expectations and support activity below potential amidst trade uncertainty.

Adding a positive note to the regional economic picture, preliminary data released on Thursday showed that German factory orders rose by 0.6% in April compared to the previous month.

This was a welcome surprise, as economists polled by Reuters had been expecting a monthly decline of 1%.

The Federal Statistical Office attributed the rise in April largely to a significant increase in the manufacturing of data processing equipment, electrical goods, and optical products.

This follows a robust 3.4% month-on-month increase in new factory orders recorded a month earlier.

Global market context: US labor market jitters, Asia mixed

The backdrop from global markets was somewhat mixed. Asia-Pacific markets traded with no clear direction, and US stock futures were near flat overnight.

Investor sentiment in the US had been dented by data released on Wednesday showing that private sector hiring had hit its lowest level in over two years.

Private sector payrolls rose by just 37,000 in May, falling sharply below the Dow Jones forecast of 110,000 and raising concerns about a softening US job market and its potential impact on the broader economy.

These concerns weighed on the major US averages during Wednesday’s session.

Despite these labor market worries, recent gains in the US market—largely powered by a surge in technology stocks—coupled with a strong first-quarter earnings season, have helped to revive overall sentiment on Wall Street.

Nevertheless, a degree of caution persists among investors, who remain wary that more economic pain could lie ahead, particularly in light of the Trump administration’s ongoing tariff policies.

The post European markets open: Stoxx 600 gains ahead of anticipated ECB rate cut appeared first on Invezz

Laopu Gold Co.’s extraordinary stock surge is facing a test of durability.

After soaring more than 2,300% since its June 2024 debut, the jewellery maker’s shares crossed the HK$1,000 mark — a rare feat that has now introduced a different kind of challenge: access.

Despite the surge making Laopu the most expensive stock on the Hong Kong exchange — eclipsing Mixue Group’s HK$580 — the milestone comes with a high barrier to entry.

Laopu requires a minimum purchase of 100 shares, equating to HK$100,000 ($12,750), a sum that may price out everyday investors.

Though odd-lot trading is technically possible through brokerages, such trades often involve longer execution times and higher fees, further limiting participation from smaller investors.

Stock shows signs of strain amid valuation concerns

On Thursday, the stock briefly touched HK$1,015 before falling as much as 9.4%.

The volatility suggests investors may be reassessing the stock’s valuation.

Laopu currently trades at 32 times forward earnings, compared with Chow Tai Fook’s 16 — raising questions about the sustainability of its price.

“Laopu is excessively expensive in my view, based on cash flow, even though growth looks promising,” said Yu Dingheng, fund manager at Shenzhen Flying Tiger Investment & Management Co. in a Bloomberg report.

HK$1,000 is going to be a tough hurdle.

Source: Bloomberg

Lockup expiry could trigger market pressure

Adding to the pressure is an upcoming lockup expiry on June 27, which will release 121.4 million shares — more than double the current free float — into the market.

A smaller expiry of 10.8 million shares in December led to Laopu’s worst weekly performance since listing, signaling the risk that the larger release may rattle investors.

Analysts warn that such an influx could test whether institutional interest is strong enough to absorb the added supply without dragging down prices.

Calls grow for greater accessibility

Hong Kong’s exchange has reportedly been exploring changes to make expensive stocks more accessible.

Currently, firms set their own board lot sizes, and while this gives flexibility, it can also freeze out retail interest when share prices surge.

Laopu has not yet indicated whether it will consider a stock split — a step taken by Tencent in 2014 and Zai Lab in 2022 — that would reduce the per-share price and improve liquidity.

IPO enthusiasm meets post-rally caution

Laopu’s blockbuster IPO was nearly 600 times oversubscribed in the retail segment, prompting the company to expand its retail allocation sixfold to 11.2 million shares.

But with a steep valuation, limited retail access, and a wave of new shares poised to enter the market, the company’s gravity-defying run may soon meet more grounded investor sentiment.

The post Laopu Gold’s HK$1,000 share price tests rally as valuation, access concerns mount appeared first on Invezz