Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.09%, Shanghai Composite up 0.08%, Hang Seng up 1.17% ASX down 0.26%
- Commodities : Gold at $3371.35 (-0.79%), Silver at $35.8 (-1.49%), Brent Oil at $77.38 (-0.59%), WTI Oil at $73.8 (-0.33%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.390, UK 10-year yield at 4.5350, Germany 10-year yield at 2.5185
News & Data:
- (GBP) Official Bank Rate 4.25% to 4.25% expected
Markets Update:
Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose on Friday as investors digested economic data from China and remained cautious over rising geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering whether to support Israeli military action and potentially authorize a strike on Tehran. According to the White House, a decision is expected within the next two weeks.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 1.15%, while mainland China’s CSI 300 edged up 0.24% after the People’s Bank of China left its loan prime rates unchanged — with the 1-year rate at 3.0% and the 5-year at 3.5%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.12%, though the broader Topix dipped 0.17% in volatile trade. Meanwhile, Japan’s core inflation rate reached 3.7% in May, the highest since January 2023, slightly above economists’ expectations of 3.6%.
South Korea’s Kospi jumped 1.19%, crossing the 3,000 mark for the first time in 42 months, while the small-cap Kosdaq advanced 1.01%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 narrowed earlier losses to close down just 0.2%. In India, the Nifty 50 opened 0.21% higher, and the BSE Sensex gained 0.29%.
U.S. stock futures dipped during early Asian trading as investors closely watched the unfolding Middle East situation. U.S. equity markets remained closed overnight in observance of the Juneteenth holiday.
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