Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 2.26%, Shanghai Composite up 0.38%, Hang Seng up 1.03% ASX up 0.16%
- Commodities : Gold at $3165.35 (0.80%), Silver at $34.7 (0.48%), Brent Oil at $74.75 (0.15%), WTI Oil at $71.6 (0.04%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.205, UK 10-year yield at 4.6760, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7270
News & Data:
- (JPY) Unemployment Rate 2.4% to 2.5% expected
Markets Update:
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.91% after the Reserve Bank of Australia held interest rates at 4.1%, aligning with expectations ahead of the May 3 elections. Japan’s Nikkei 225 erased early gains to trade flat, while the broader Topix rose 0.12% in volatile trading. The Nikkei 225 had entered correction territory in the previous session, falling 4.05% to a six-month low. South Korea’s Kospi climbed 1.66%, and the small-cap Kosdaq surged 2.88%. Mainland China’s CSI 300 edged up 0.29%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.06%.
China’s Caixin PMI for March came in at 51.2, slightly above economists’ forecast of 51.1 and higher than February’s 50.8 reading. India’s Nifty 50 opened 0.1% higher in choppy trade, while the BSE Sensex dipped 0.42%. U.S. futures slipped as investors awaited updates on Trump’s tariff plans.
On Wall Street, two of the three major indexes ended in positive territory. The S&P 500 erased earlier losses to rise 0.55%, closing at 5,611.85 after dropping as much as 1.65% intraday. The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.14%, settling at 17,299.29, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 417.86 points (1%) to close at 42,001.76.
Investor sentiment remained cautious amid market volatility, with global indices reacting to economic data and policy decisions. The rebound in Asia-Pacific markets followed a steep sell-off, reflecting ongoing uncertainty over trade policies and interest rate movements.
Upcoming Events:
- 01:45 PM GMT – USD Final Manufacturing PMI
- 02:00 PM GMT – USD ISM Manufacturing PMI
- 02:00 PM GMT – USD JOLTS Job opening
