Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 4.20%, Shanghai Composite up 1.17%, Hang Seng up 1.41% ASX up 1.87%
- Commodities : Gold at $5,034.54 (1.10%) Silver at $80.533 (4.81%), Brent Oil at $67.42 (-0.93%), WTI Oil at $63.00 (-0.90%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.224, UK 10-year yield at 4.5130, Germany 10-year yield at 2.8476
News & Data:
- (CAD) Employment Change -24.8K to 5.2K expected
- (CAD) Unemployment Rate 6.5% to 6.8% expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are trading mostly higher on Monday, supported by strong gains on Wall Street last Friday and a sharp rally in Japan. Investor sentiment improved after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan’s general election, raising expectations of expansionary fiscal policies. Technology shares also advanced across the region, particularly in South Korea, as concerns about AI-driven disruption eased.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 surged nearly 2 percent, climbing above 8,850, led by gold miners and technology stocks. BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue posted solid gains, while tech names such as Block, WiseTech and Appen recorded strong advances. Banking stocks were modestly higher. Pepper Money soared more than 20 percent following a takeover proposal, while Web Travel and Bravura Solutions jumped after positive company updates. The Australian dollar traded around $0.702.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped more than 4 percent to above 56,650, driven by heavyweights like SoftBank and Fast Retailing, alongside chip-related stocks such as Advantest. Exporters and financials also gained. Data showed Japan’s December current account surplus narrowed, while bank lending rose 4.5 percent year-on-year in January.
Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan advanced, tracking Wall Street’s strong rebound. The Dow closed above 50,000 for the first time, while oil prices edged higher amid geopolitical tensions.
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