Stock Markets Net Chng Stock Markets Net Chng S&P/ASX 200** 7,177.80 55.50 NZX 50** -48.67 11,884.5
DJIA 33,274.15 415.12 NIKKEI** 28,041.48 258.55
Nasdaq FTSE**
12,221.907 208.44 7,631.74 11.31
S&P 500 4,109.31 58.48 Hang Seng**
20,400.11 90.98
SPI 200 Fut STI**
7,236.00 45.00 3,258.9 1.72
SSEC** KOSPI** 2,476.86 23.70
3,272.86 11.61
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Bonds Bonds
JP 10 YR Bond KR 10 YR Bond
0.334 0.01 3.36 0.027
AU 10 YR Bond US 10 YR Bond
3.237 -0.073 3.4733 0
NZ 10 YR Bond US 30 YR Bond
4.225 0 3.6507 0
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Currencies
SGD US$ 0 KRW US$
0 1,306.11 9.56
AUD US$ NZD US$
0.66825 -0.00045 0.6253 -0.0003
EUR US$ Yen US$
1.0845 0.0006 133.05 0.26
THB US$ PHP US$
34.16 0.03 54.31 0.044
IDR US$ INR US$
14,990 -55 82.16 0.08
MYR US$ TWD US$
4.41 -0.01 30.454 -0.007
CNY US$ HKD US$
6.8745 0.0035 7.8495 0
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Commodities
Spot Gold Silver (Lon)
1,967.9 -12.3502 24.073 0.198
U.S. Gold Fut 1,986.2 -11.5 Brent Crude
0 0
Iron Ore CNY!RIC TRJCRB Index
{DCIOcv1} is !RIC - - invalid {DCIOcv1}
is invalid
TOCOM Rubber JPY210.3 LME Copper 8,994.50 5.5
0.3
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** indicates closing price
All prices as of 20:28 GMT
EQUITIES GLOBAL - A gauge of global stocks was on course for its biggest weekly percentage gain in 4-1/2 months on Friday, with the two-year U.S. Treasury yield set for its first quarterly decline in the past nine, as U.S. inflation data fueled hopes the Federal Reserve may be reaching the end of its rate hiking cycle. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed up 0.66% and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe gained 1.04%, on track for its biggest weekly gain since mid-November. For a full report, click on - - - -
NEW YORK - Wall Street rallied more than 1% on Friday and the Nasdaq notched its biggest quarterly percentage gain since June 2020, as signs of cooling inflation bolstered hopes the Federal Reserve might soon end its aggressive interest rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 415.12 points, or 1.26%, to 33,274.15, the S&P 500 gained 58.48 points, or 1.44%, to 4,109.31 and the Nasdaq Composite added 208.44 points, or 1.74%, to 12,221.91. For a full report, click on - - - -
LONDON - European shares rose on Friday, as fears of a full-blown banking crisis continued to recede and a record monthly drop in euro zone inflation figures and a dip in the U.S. Federal Reserve's favoured inflation gauge lifted sentiment. The pan-European STOXX 600 index closed 0.7% higher. For a full report, click on - - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Friday — the last trading day of the country's fiscal year — and posted its best week in two months, as easing banking crisis concerns and a weaker yen bolstered investor sentiment. The Nikkei finished the day up 0.93% at 28,041.48, staying above the psychological 28,000-mark. For a full report, click on - - - -
SHANGHAI - China stocks rose on Friday as Chinese manufacturing activity growth beat expectations, while spin-off and listing plans of some internet giants boosted sentiment in the Hong Kong market. China's blue-chip CSI 300 Index closed up 0.3%, and the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.4%. For a full report, click on - - - -
AUSTRALIA - Australian shares set to open higher on Monday tracking the gains on Wall Street, while investors await the Reserve Bank of Australia's monitory policy decision scheduled for Tuesday, where in a 25 bps hike or a pause is expected. The local share price index futures rose 0.6%, a 58.2-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark ended Friday 0.8% higher at 7,177.8 points. For a full report, click on - - - -
SEOUL - South Korean shares rose 1% on Friday, buoyed by Wall Street's overnight gains and China's better-than-expected manufacturing data, ending the quarter with its best performance in over two years. The benchmark KOSPI ended up 23.70 points, or 0.97%, at 2,476.86, hitting the highest level since Feb. 9. For a full report, click on - - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE NEW YORK - The dollar rose against the euro on Friday but was on track for its fifth straight weekly loss against the common currency, after slower U.S. consumer spending growth boosted hopes the Federal Reserve would be less aggressive in hiking interest rates. The euro was 0.48% lower at $1.0852 after the data. The European currency was up 0.8% in its fifth straight week of gains against the greenback, the longest such streak since August 2020. For a full report, click on - - - -
SHANGHAI - China's yuan rose against the dollar on Friday and looked set for a second quarterly gain, as market sentiment was supported by better-than-expected manufacturing data and on upbeat official comments on the economic outlook. The spot yuan opened at 6.8550 per dollar and was changing hands at 6.8584 at midday, 126 pips firmer than the previous late session close. For a full report, click on - - - -
AUSTRALIA - The Australian and New Zealand dollars edged higher on Friday as banking fears calmed a little, while bonds were boasting their best month in a decade after expectations for rate hikes were reined in. The Aussie inched to $0.6716 , leaving it 1% firmer for the week but flat on the month. Support lies at $0.6660 and $0.6625, with resistance around $0.6720 and $0.6752. For a full report, click on - - - -
SEOUL - The Korean won weakened on Friday, while the benchmark bond yield rose. The won ended onshore trade at 1,301.9 per dollar, 0.22% lower than its previous close at 1,299.0. For a full report, click on - - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - Two-year U.S. Treasury yields were on track to post the largest monthly drop since 2008 on Friday while 10-year yields keyed in on the biggest drop in three years, after data showed inflation moderated in February and as investors sought out bonds for quarter-end. Benchmark 10-year yields fell 6 basis points on the day to 3.494%. They have fallen by 42 basis points this month, the largest fall since March 2020. For a full report, click on - - - -
LONDON - Euro zone government bond yields slipped on Friday as investors focused on falls in U.S. and European inflation, while fears of a full-blown banking crisis continued to recede. Two-year German Schatz yields , the most sensitive to shifts in expectations for interest rates, fell after the U.S. data and were last down 3 bps at 2.713%. For a full report, click on - - - -
TOKYO - The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Friday raised the maximum size of its planned Japanese government bond (JGB) purchases for all maturities over the next three months, doubling down on efforts to defend its ultra-loose policy. The 10-year JGB yield , which hovered at the top end of the BOJ's policy band until earlier this month, fell to as low as 0.240% on March 14 and it last traded at 0.320%. For a full report, click on COMMODITIES
GOLD Gold prices were on track for a second straight quarterly rise on Friday, as growing bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will slow the pace of interest rate hikes drew investors to the metal. Spot gold was down 0.6% at $1,968.25 per ounce by 2:26 p.m. EDT (1826 GMT), after prices moved as much as 0.4% higher following data that showed U.S. consumer spending rose modestly in February. U.S. gold futures settled down 0.6% at $1,986.2. For a full report, click on - - - -
IRON ORE
Dalian iron ore futures rose on Friday and stayed on track for a second straight quarterly gain on expectations of improved steel demand in China in the second quarter, with tight supply concerns adding support. The most-traded May iron ore on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange ended daytime trade 1.2% higher at 907 yuan ($132.13) a tonne, and stretched its quarterly gain to more than 6%. For a full report, click on - - - -
BASE METALS
Copper prices edged lower on Friday but were still up about 7.5% over the first quarter as demand in top consumer China recovered from last year's slump, with many analysts predicting further gains to come. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was down 0.1% at $8,994.50 a tonne at 1610 GMT but on track for its second consecutive quarterly gain. For a full report, click on - - - -
OIL
Oil prices rose by more than a dollar a barrel on Friday to record their second-straight week of gains, as supplies tightened in some parts of the world and U.S. inflation data indicated price rises were slowing. The most actively traded Brent futures, for June delivery, settled up $1.29, or 1.6%, at $79.89 a barrel. Brent futures for May delivery, which expired upon settlement, gained 50 cents, or 0.6%, to settle at $79.77 a barrel. For a full report, click on - - - -
PALM OIL
Malaysian palm oil futures dropped on Friday after four days of gains as profit-booking and a stronger ringgit weighed on prices, although the benchmark contract post a weekly rise amid output concerns. The benchmark palm oil contract for June delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell 0.79% to end at 3,758 ringgit ($852.15), erasing some of the 7.67% gains over the past four days. For a full report, click on - - - -
RUBBER
Japanese rubber futures rose on Friday, as an expansion in China manufacturing
activity provided some respite amid weeks of global banking crisis, although the
contract recorded its fourth consecutive quarterly drop.
Osaka Exchange's rubber contract for September delivery , finished
up 0.9 yen, or 0.4%, at 210.0 yen ($1.58) per kg.
For a full report, click on - - - -
(Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)
