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Shares are mostly lower in Europe after a lackluster day of trading in Asia Shares opened lower in Europe on Tuesday after a day of declines in most Asian market s. Germany's DAX fell 0.4% to 15,765.55 and the CAC 40 in Paris dropped 0.8% to 7,224.88. Britain's FTSE 100 edged 0.1% lower to 7,442.85. The future for the S &P 500 was down 0.3%, while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.2%. In Asian trading, Hong Kong's benchmark fell 2.1%, to 18,456.91, as investors sold real estate shares to lock in gains fueled by recent government efforts to support the ailing property industry. China Vanke lost 1.1%, while Country Garden Holdings gave up 1%. Hong Kong-based Sun Hung Kai Properties shed 2%. Chinese services data came in weaker than expected, dulling hopes for a rebound in China's lackluster growth. Meanwhile, a survey showed business activity in China's services sector increased at the slowest pace in eight months. The Shanghai Composite index...

Homebuyers are finding creative ways to win their dream home in a competitive real estate market. The lack of available homes on the market is near historic lows, sparking fierce bidding wars in cities across the country – and prompting many buyers to get creative with their offers. In June, 1.08 million homes were for sale nationwide, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), down 13.6% from a year ago, when 1.22 million homes were available. "It's still a seller's market, and we won't see that change anytime soon," Sarah Drennan, a realtor with Terrie O'Connor Realtors, in northern New Jersey, tells ABC News. "Some of our homes are selling with anywhere from 10 to 50 offers, and within the first week the home is going under contract." Housing experts say the biggest challenge for home buyers right now is com Pet ition, and cash is still king. One-third of U.S. home buyers are paying in cash, the highest share in nearly a decad...

Global shares are trading mostly lower after U.S. employment data closed out a losing week for Wall Street TOKYO -- Global shares were trading mostly lower on Monday after U.S. employment data closed out a losing week for Wall Street. France's CAC 40 slid 0.2% in early trading to 7,298.28, while Germany's DAX lost 0.3% to 15,909.75. Britain's FTSE 100 was down 0.5% at 7,526.42. U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.2% at 35,217.00. S &P 500 futures rose nearly 0.3% to 4,509.25. Investors were also closely watching earnings reports due later this week, including from Disney in the U.S., Alibaba Group in China and Sony and SoftBank in Japan. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 recouped losses earlier in the day and gained 0.2% to finish at 32,254.56. Australia's S &P/ASX 200 shed 0.2% to 7,309.20. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.9% to 2,580.71. Hong Kong's Hang Seng changed little at 19,537.92, while the Shanghai Composite dropped 0.6% ...

Shares are mostly lower in Asia after Wall Street drifted downward following a rally that had sent it roaring 16% higher for the year so far BANGKOK -- Shares slipped in Asia on Thursday after Wall Street drifted downward following a rally that sent it roaring 16% higher for the year so far. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 3% on heavy selling of Chinese banks shares after Goldman Sachs downgraded them citing concerns about the slowing economy and lenders' exposures to debt. Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.7%. U.S. futures declined and oil prices were mixed. Share prices had soared recently amid signs the U.S. economy is stronger than had been feared, fending off recession so far despite high interest rates. Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting released Wednesday showed that some central bank officials wanted to raise rates in mid-June, though in the end they voted unanimously to keep rates steady. The threat of further rate hikes has been weighing on investor sent...

Stocks are drifting on Wall Street after central banks around the world showed they’re not done cranking interest rates higher in their fight against inflation NEW YORK -- Stocks are drifting on Wall Street Thursday after central banks around the world showed they're not done cranking interest rates higher in their fight against inflation. The S &P 500 was 0.2% higher in afternoon trading after wobbling through the day. The majority of stocks in the benchmark index were slipping, but gains from some big technology stocks countered losses elsewhere. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 21 points, or 0.1%, to 33,930, and the Nasdaq was 0.6% higher, as of 2 p.m. Eastern. The Bank of England hiked its main interest rate by a bigger margin than expected to a 15-year high. Central banks in Norway, Switzerland and Turkey also raised borrowing rates. In the United States, meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated his belief that inflation is still too high and that fur...

Stocks edged higher on Wall Street as more gains for Big Tech companies helped bolster the broader market NEW YORK -- Stocks rose modestly in morning trading on Wall Street Friday and are on track to close out a relatively quiet week higher. The S &P 500 rose 0.4% and is headed for a fourth straight week of gains. Slightly more stocks rose in the index than fell. Big Technology companies were doing much of the heavy lifting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 94 points, or 0.3%, to 33,928 as of 10:59 a.m. Eastern. The tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 0.5%. European market s were lower and Asian market s closed higher overnight. Trading has been listless throughout the week amid a lack of any big market moving reports or news. The benchmark S &P index still gained enough ground by Thursday to close 20% above its October low, entering a new bull market. Technology stocks, which have been responsible for much of Wall Street's gains, helped lead the way on Friday. Microsoft rose 0.7...

Asian shares are mixed in directionless trading following a U.S. holiday, as optimism about a deal on the U.S. debt was dented by worries about the regional economy TOKYO -- Asian shares were mixed in directionless trading Tuesday following a U.S. holiday, as optimism about a deal on the U.S. debt was dented by worries about the regional economy . Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.3% to 31,328.16. Australia's S &P/ASX 200 edged down 0.1% to 7,209.30. South Korea's Kospi jumped 1.0% to 2,584.90. Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up less than 0.1% at 18,553.22. The Shanghai Composite fell less than 0.1% to 3,221.01. Analysts say investors remain concerned about the a possible “second wave” of COVID-19 cases in China, although the economic impact is expected to be more limited than from the earlier pandemic wave. China's recovery from virus-related disruptions during the past several years appears to be faltering, adding to worries over the regional economy. “To s...

Alaska’s push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market will be in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy JUNEAU, Alaska -- Alaska's push to become a bigger player in the clean energy market is in the spotlight this week at a conference convened by its Republican governor, even as the state continues to embrace new fossil fuel production, including the controversial Willow oil project on the petroleum-rich North Slope. Gov. Mike Dunleavy successfully pushed through the legislature a bill he is expected to sign Tuesday that would allow the oil-reliant state to cash in on the sale of so-called carbon credits to companies looking to offset their carbon emissions. Projects could include credits for improving a forest’s health through thinning or by allowing trees to grow bigger, thereby increasing a forest’s potential to hold carbon. Lawmakers cast the bill as allowing Alaska to have the best of both worlds — continuing to permit oi...

Sooner or later, either Wall Street or the Federal Reserve has to blink WASHINGTON -- Sooner or later, either Wall Street or the Federal Reserve has to blink. Nearly a year into the Fed’s drive to quash inflation by hiking interest rates at a blistering pace, investors still don’t seem to fully believe what the Fed warns is coming next: Higher rates through the end of the year, which could sharply raise unemployment and slow growth. Wall Street has a more sanguine view: With inflation cooling from painful highs, investors are betting that the Fed will stop hiking rates soon, pause for a bit and then start cutting rates toward the end of the year to combat what many on Wall Street expect will be a mild recession. That relatively optimistic view has helped propel the broad S &P 500 stock index up 4.4% so far this year. Yet a host of Fed speakers last week underscored a contrasting message: They expect to raise their benchmark rate above 5%, modestly above Wall Street’s forecast. Doin...

Asian stock markets are higher ahead of the release of minutes from a Federal Reserve meeting that investors hope might show the U.S. central bank is moderating its plans for more interest rate hikes to cool inflation BEIJING -- Asian stock markets rose Wednesday ahead of the release of minutes from a Federal Reserve meeting that investors hope might show the U.S. central bank is moderating plans for more interest rate hikes to cool inflation. Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Sydney advanced. Tokyo retreated. Oil prices were little-changed. Wall Street fell Tuesday in the year's first trading day after recording its biggest annual decline in 14 years in 2022. Traders worry the Fed and other central banks might be willing to push the world into recession to extinguish inflation that is at multi-decade highs. They hope minutes from the Fed's December meeting might show policymakers are reducing or delaying planned rate hikes due to signs economic activity is slowing. “While the Fe...

Asian stock markets have followed Wall Street higher following encouraging U.S. employment data but are headed for double-digit losses for the year BEIJING -- Asian stock market s followed Wall Street higher on Friday following encouraging U.S. employment data but were headed for double-digit losses for the year. Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney advanced. Oil prices edged higher. Wall Street's benchmark S &P 500 index gained Thursday after the number of people applying for unemployment benefits rose only slightly last week despite repeated interest rate hikes to cool inflation by slowing economic activity. “Considering the market news was sparse, the shift higher has the hallmarks of a dead cat bounce,” said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management in a report. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6% to 3,092.50. The Chinese benchmark is on track to end 2022 down more than 14% after the world's second-largest economy was depressed by anti-virus controls and a crackdown...