Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.11%, Shanghai Composite down -0.44%, Hang Seng down -1.30% ASX down -0.75%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,140.84 (0.77%), Silver at $48.275 (1.20%), Brent Oil at $62.27 (1.55%), WTI Oil at $58.19 (1.66%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 3.959, UK 10-year yield at 4.4820, Germany 10-year yield at 2.5508
News & Data:
- (CAD) CPI m/m 0.1% to -0.1% expected
- (CAD) Median CPI y/y 3.2% to 3.0% expected
- (CAD) Trimmed CPI y/y 3.1% to 3.0% expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets traded mostly lower on Wednesday, mirroring mixed cues from Wall Street, as traders stayed cautious amid persistent U.S.-China trade tensions and the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. The absence of key U.S. economic data, due to the shutdown, also kept investors on the sidelines. Attention now turns to U.S. consumer inflation data due Friday and the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 dropped 0.84 percent to 9,018.80, dragged by sharp losses in gold mining stocks after bullion prices recorded their biggest intra-day drop in nearly 12 years. Major miners like BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue fell over 1 percent, while gold producers such as Northern Star and Evolution Mining plunged around 10 percent. Oil stocks were mixed, with Woodside Energy up over 4 percent, while Santos slipped nearly 1 percent.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.48 percent to 49,077.56, reversing earlier gains. Losses were led by SoftBank and technology firms like Advantest and Screen Holdings, while automakers Toyota and Honda gained more than 3 percent each. Japan also reported a trade deficit of 234.6 billion yen in September, missing expectations for a surplus.
Elsewhere, markets in China, Hong Kong, and New Zealand traded modestly higher. On Wall Street, the Dow gained 0.5 percent to a new record close, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended nearly flat.
Upcoming Events:
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