Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.05%, Shanghai Composite up 0.04%, Hang Seng up 1.77% ASX down 1.20%
- Commodities : Gold at $5,144.01 (1.28%) Silver at $84.630 (2.97%), Brent Oil at $84.47 (-1.08%), WTI Oil at $79.99 (-1.26%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.139, UK 10-year yield at 4.5440, Germany 10-year yield at 2.8535
News & Data:
- (USD) Unemployment Claims K to 215K expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets are trading mixed on Friday following broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight, as investors remain cautious about the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Concerns over supply disruptions pushed crude oil prices above $81 a barrel, although gains in energy stocks helped limit losses in regional markets. Asian markets had ended mostly higher on Thursday.
Tensions intensified after Iran claimed it struck a U.S. oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf, raising fears of a wider conflict. The Islamic republic has also threatened to halt shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated the conflict could last up to eight weeks, though it may end sooner.
The Australian market is sharply lower, extending losses from the previous two sessions. The S&P/ASX 200 is below 8,850, pressured by financial and mining stocks despite gains in energy and technology shares. Major miners BHP Group and Rio Tinto are down over 6 percent each, while Fortescue and Mineral Resources are also declining.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 has turned modestly higher after opening lower, supported by gains in automakers and select technology stocks. Toyota, Honda and SoftBank are posting moderate gains.
Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Taiwan are higher, while South Korea and Indonesia are weaker. On Wall Street, major indexes fell sharply Thursday as geopolitical tensions weighed on investor sentiment.
Upcoming Events:
- 01:30 PM GMT – USD Core Retail Sales m/m
- 01:30 PM GMT – USD Retail Sales m/m
- 01:30 PM GMT – USD Non-Farm Employment Change
- 01:30 PM GMT – USD Unemployment Rate
