Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.67%, Shanghai Composite down 0.58% Hang Seng down 0.26% ASX down 0.42%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,677.96 (-0.97%) Silver at $74.745 (-1.03%), Brent Oil at $106.03 (0.91%), WTI Oil at $96.52 (0.07%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.330, UK 10-year yield at 4.9460, Germany 10-year yield at 3.0042
News & Data:
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 214K to 211K expected
Markets Update:
Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as investors stayed cautious despite a three-week extension of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, highlighting continued geopolitical uncertainty across global markets. Israel and Lebanon agreed to prolong the temporary truce after discussions at the White House with senior U.S. officials, according to President Donald Trump on Thursday. He described the talks positively, saying on Truth Social that the meeting “went very well” and confirmed the ceasefire extension.
The truce, initially scheduled to last 10 days, will now remain in place longer to allow further diplomatic engagement. Washington also pledged to cooperate with Lebanon to strengthen its defenses against Hezbollah, reflecting ongoing regional security concerns.
Meanwhile, U.S. oil futures rose about 1.23% to around $97.03 per barrel, supported by worries over potential energy supply disruptions linked to tensions involving Iran. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.71% and the Topix rose 0.30% after core inflation accelerated to 1.8% in March, matching economists’ expectations and rising from 1.6% in February.
Elsewhere, South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.23% while the Kosdaq added 1%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.61%, the CSI 300 fell 0.28%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.29%.
Overnight on Wall Street, stocks retreated slightly as higher oil prices and uncertainty surrounding the Iran conflict weighed on investor sentiment.
Upcoming Events:
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Core Retail Sales m/m
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Retail Sales m/m
