Investors were buoyed by the Fed’s continued commitment to propping up the US economy despite the fast-spreading Covid Delta variant

Covid’s continued spread and the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan dampen market sentiment with the Hang Seng and Nikkei both retreating

Annual US producer prices hit a record last month, leaving investors convinced Washington will act to curb inflation sooner rather than later

Communist Party’s pledge to roll out more regulation over the next five years leaves traders nervous while pressure on Fed to ease up on its stimulus programme drops after encouraging inflation numbers

• Fears US inflation data could spark Fed reaction and pandemic support cooling • But investors boosted by progress on...

• Bumper US job figures boost the mood on trading floors  • Chinese tech firms lead the charge as Hong...

• Q1 earnings news doesn’t show impact of China crackdown on Didi, other firms • Japanese group’s large deals approach...

• Dow and S&P 500 record all-time highs while Hang Seng fizzles • Bitcoin hovering around $44,000 after surging more...

S&P 500 and Nasdaq set new records after jobless claims fall; Nintendo plunges more than 7% over worse-than-expected quarterly profits

Fed’s Richard Clarida says bond-buying programme could be scaled back; Tencent sheds 3% and Netease loses 4% as Beijing’s regulators loom

Second day of sharp losses sparked by leak of letter signalling Birla sale plan; Two-day decline has wiped $730m of value from Vodafone Idea

• Fire flared at Victoria Big Battery site aiming to store renewable energy • Reason for confined blaze still unknown,...