Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 1.56%, Shanghai Composite up 1.24%, Hang Seng down 0.03% ASX up 0.19%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,050.90 (-0.58%), Silver at $48.20 (1.37%), Brent Oil at $65.9 (-0.74%), WTI Oil at $62.19 (-0.74%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.125, UK 10-year yield at 4.7150, Germany 10-year yield at 2.6769
News & Data:
- (USD) Natural Gas Storage 80B to 76B expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are trading mostly lower on Friday, following weak cues from Wall Street overnight as optimism over interest rate cuts faded amid concerns about the prolonged U.S. government shutdown, now in its ninth day. The economic toll of the shutdown appears to be weighing on sentiment. Asian markets had closed mostly higher on Thursday.
US Fed Governor Michael Barr said the central bank should move “cautiously” given persistent uncertainty and inflation risks, while Chair Jerome Powell offered no new guidance. New York Fed President John Williams also indicated support for another rate cut before the next policy meeting.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 slipped 0.03 percent to 8,966.80, dragged by mining and energy losses, though financials and tech stocks provided some cushion. BHP and Rio Tinto dropped over 1 percent, while Fortescue declined similarly. Commonwealth Bank gained nearly 1 percent. The Aussie dollar traded at $0.656.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.01 percent to 48,087.75, pressured by exporters and financials. Sony and Mitsubishi UFJ lost over 2 percent, while Fast Retailing surged almost 6 percent. Producer prices rose 0.3 percent in September, beating expectations.
Elsewhere, markets in China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia were lower, while South Korea gained 1.3 percent post-holidays. On Wall Street, the Nasdaq slipped 0.1 percent, the S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent, and oil prices dropped 1.76 percent to $61.45 per barrel.
Upcoming Events:
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