Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.83%, Shanghai Composite up 1.14%, Hang Seng up 1.80% ASX down 0.38%
- Commodities : Gold at $4,475.80 (+0.53%), Silver at $78.615 (+2.57%), Brent Oil at $61.59 (-0.28%), WTI Oil at $58.11 (-0.36%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.173, UK 10-year yield at 4.5080, Germany 10-year yield at 2.8730
News & Data:
- (USD) ISM Manufacturing PMI 47.9 to 48.3 expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets were mostly higher on Tuesday, extending the global equity rally after broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight. Gains were led by Hong Kong, China and Japan, with investors largely brushing aside geopolitical concerns surrounding the U.S.-Venezuela situation and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Most Asian markets had also ended higher on Monday.
Australia, however, bucked the regional trend. The Australian share market slipped into negative territory after opening higher, dragged down by weakness in banking and gold mining stocks, despite support from technology shares. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 40.5 points, or 0.46 percent, to 8,688.1, while the broader All Ordinaries Index declined 0.37 percent to 9,001. Major banks lost more than 2 percent each, while gold miners were mostly weaker. In contrast, tech stocks such as Block and Xero posted gains. BlueScope Steel surged nearly 22 percent after confirming a $30-per-share takeover offer. Economic data showed Australia’s services sector continued to expand in December, though at a slower pace.
Japanese stocks advanced strongly, with the Nikkei 225 rising nearly 0.7 percent, driven by financials and automakers. Bank shares recorded solid gains, while exporters were mostly higher. Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong climbed about 1.4 percent, and markets in China, Singapore and Taiwan also advanced, while South Korea and Malaysia edged lower.
On Wall Street, U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones hitting a record high, supported by gains across major indices and positive sentiment in global markets.
Upcoming Events:
- 02:45 PM GMT – USD Final Services PMI
