Asian Shares Mostly Higher Before Year Ends

RTTNews | hace 938
Asian Shares Mostly Higher Before Year Ends

(RTTNews) - Asian stocks followed Wall Street higher on Friday, even as overall gains remained capped outside Hong Kong amid worries that a new COVID variant could emerge in China as the virus spreads widely and rapidly.

U.S. health officials and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called on China to share more information on the spread of COVID in the country, saying the lack of transparency could delay the identification of new COVID variants that pose a threat to public health.

Gold edged higher as the latest U.S. labor market data led to some dollar weakness and Treasury yields backing off.

Oil edged up slightly after a three-day run of declines as more countries announce restrictions on Chinese travelers.

China's Shanghai Composite index was up 0.6 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 1.2 percent in early trade.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the global body remains concerned over the evolving situation in China due to the unavailability of an apt amount of information from the country about the outbreak.

Japan's Nikkei index was up 0.2 percent after closing off a three-month low the previous day. The yen rose against the dollar as initial optimism over China's reopening fizzled.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose half a percent while New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX-50 index was down 0.6 percent. Seoul's stock markets remain closed for New Year's holiday.

U.S. stocks rallied overnight as investors sought to snap up bargains in the tech sector, looking past worries that new variants could emerge from China's continuing COVID outbreak.

Investors also digested data showing that jobless claims rose slightly in the week ended December 24 but held near historic lows.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite index surged 2.6 percent, the S&P 500 climbed 1.8 percent and the Dow added 1.1 percent.

European stocks reversed course to end higher on Thursday, tracking the broad-based rally on Wall Street on the penultimate trading day of the year.

The pan European STOXX 600 rose 0.7 percent. The German DAX gained 1.1 percent, France's CAC 40 index advanced 1 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 edged up 0.2 percent.

read more
Australian Market Maintains Early Losses In Mid-market

Australian Market Maintains Early Losses In Mid-market

The Australian stock market is maintaining its early losses in mid-market moves on Friday and extending the losses in the previous session, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is falling below the 8,700 level, with weakness in mining and financial stocks partially offset by gains in energy and technology stocks.
RTTNews | hace 1h 41min
Asian Markets Mixed Amid Cautious Trades

Asian Markets Mixed Amid Cautious Trades

Asian markets are trading mixed on Friday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight, as traders are cautious and optimistic that the U.S. will sign up more deals with its remaining trading partners before President Donald Trump's Aug. 1 deadline. The UK, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia have already struck deals, while Canada, India, South Korea, and the EU are ramping up their efforts.
RTTNews | hace 1h 55min
Sensex, Nifty Set To Extend Losses

Sensex, Nifty Set To Extend Losses

Indian shares look set to open lower on Friday as investors fret over stalled India-U.S. trade deal, slowing earnings growth and continued selling by foreign portfolio investors.
RTTNews | hace 2h 29min
Rebound Anticipated For Thai Stock Market

Rebound Anticipated For Thai Stock Market

The Thai stock market has finished lower in two of three trading days since the end of the three-day winning streak in which it had spiked more than 50 points or 4.1 percent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand now sits just above the 1,210-point plateau although it's expected to bounce higher again on Friday.
RTTNews | hace 3h 4min
Japanese Market Notably Lower

Japanese Market Notably Lower

Reversing some of the strong gains in the previous two sessions, the Japanese market is notably lower on Friday, following the mixed cues from Wall Street overnight. The Nikkei 225 is falling well above the 41,650 level, with weakness across most sectors led by exporters, automakers and financial stocks.
RTTNews | hace 3h 26min
Higher Open Called For Indonesia Stock Market

Higher Open Called For Indonesia Stock Market

The Indonesia stock market has moved higher in back-to-back sessions, advancing more than 180 points or 2.6 percent along the way. The Jakarta Composite Index now sits just above the 7,530-point plateau and it may open to the upside again on Friday.
RTTNews | hace 3h 34min
Hong Kong Shares May Be Stuck In Neutral On Friday

Hong Kong Shares May Be Stuck In Neutral On Friday

The Hong Kong stock market has moved higher in five straight sessions, gathering almost 1,300 points or 5.1 percent in that span. The Hang Seng Index now sits just beneath the 25,670-point plateau although it's expected to see profit taking on Friday.
RTTNews | hace 3h 49min