Asian stocks show mixed performances amid investor caution ahead of upcoming US inflation figures, while European and US markets edge lower and commodities fluctuate.
Asian markets ended mixed on Thursday, with traders watching for the next US inflation reading that Reuters said is likely to shape the tone across global assets. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 slipped 0.93% to 65,683.26, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.49% to 25,530.28. Mainland Chinese shares moved higher, with the Shanghai Composite up 0.57% at 3,900.352. Australia’s ASX 200 added 0.47%, and India’s benchmark indexes also edged up. Reuters said investors remained cautious ahead of the data release.
Currency markets in Asia were similarly uneven. The Australian dollar weakened to 0.70333 against the US dollar and the New Zealand dollar fell to 0.58696, while the yen firmed to 158.399 per dollar and the yuan was little changed at 6.74876, according to the figures cited by BBC News. Precious metals eased slightly, with gold at $4,247.03 an ounce and silver at $61.474.
In Europe, share performance was modestly mixed. The CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.35% to 8,699.71 and Germany’s DAX gained 0.05% to 26,140.13, while the FTSE 100 slipped 0.19% to 10,867.89, according to CNBC’s market summary. In currency trading, the euro fell to 1.15239 against the dollar, the pound slipped to 1.34580 and the Swiss franc strengthened to 0.81225, BBC News reported.
US markets also finished lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.85% at 53,885.1. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both finished slightly lower, while the Russell 2000 fell 0.58%. In commodities, oil posted the sharpest gains, with crude up 2.88% to $77.386 a barrel and Brent rising 3.74% to $82.421. Gasoline and heating oil also advanced, while natural gas declined. Bond yields moved higher in the US and much of Europe, with the 10-year Treasury rising to 4.676% and UK gilts climbing to 4.9496%.
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