Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down -0.55%, Shanghai Composite down -0.18%, Hang Seng down -0.65% ASX up 0.15%
- Commodities : Gold at $3,776.40 (0.14%), Silver at $45.065 (-0.11%), Brent Oil at $69.56 (0.20%), WTI Oil at $65.22 (0.37%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.177, UK 10-year yield at 4.7590, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7721
News & Data:
- (USD) Final GDP q/q 3.8% to 3.3% expected
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 218K to 233K expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets traded mostly lower on Friday, tracking weak Wall Street cues after U.S. President Donald Trump announced steep new tariffs of 25 to 100 percent on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, heavy trucks and branded drugs starting October 1. Uncertainty over U.S. interest rate policy also weighed on sentiment despite upbeat economic data. Investors now await the release of U.S. personal income and spending data, including the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.08 percent to 8,780.30, supported by gains in miners and financials, offset partly by losses in technology and gold stocks. BHP and Rio Tinto advanced more than 1 percent, while Fortescue slipped marginally. Tech names Block, Xero and WiseTech declined, and gold miners traded mostly lower. Vulcan Energy Resources surged over 15 percent after securing a $179 million contract for a geothermal power project in Germany. The Aussie dollar traded at $0.654.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.27 percent to 45,629.79, pressured by declines in tech heavyweights Tokyo Electron and Advantest. SoftBank dropped nearly 3 percent, while exporters like Toyota and Sony gained modestly. Inflation in Tokyo rose 2.5 percent in September, slightly below expectations.
Elsewhere, South Korea and Taiwan slid sharply, while Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia posted modest gains. On Wall Street, all three major indices extended losses Thursday, while European markets also ended lower. Crude oil edged up to $65.07 a barrel.
Upcoming Events:
- 12:30 PM GMT – CAD GDP m/m
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Core PCE Price Index m/m
