Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 0.24%, Shanghai Composite up 0.33%, Hang Seng up 0.89% ASX up 1.41%
- Commodities : Gold at $3338.35 (0.39%), Silver at $38.38 (0.19%), Brent Oil at $69.69 (0.19%), WTI Oil at $67.8 (0.23%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.442, UK 10-year yield at 4.6740, Germany 10-year yield at 2.681
News & Data:
- (USD) Core Retail sales m/m 0.5% to 0.3% expected
- (USD) Retail sales m/m 0.6% to 0.1% expected
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 221K to 233K expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets traded mostly higher on Friday, lifted by positive economic data from the U.S. and Japan that reinforced hopes for global economic resilience. Investors are also closely watching developments as the August 1 deadline for the U.S. to pause “reciprocal tariffs” approaches. Wall Street’s overnight rally further supported sentiment across the region, with most Asian markets ending Thursday in the green.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.65% to 8,694.70, driven by strong gains in technology and mining sectors. Major miners like BHP advanced over 2%, while Mineral Resources jumped 4.5% on record production figures. Tech names such as Block, Appen, and Zip climbed between 3–5%. Big banks posted modest gains, while gold stocks showed mixed performance. The Aussie dollar stood at $0.651.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.31% to 39,778.85 despite an early rally. Losses in tech stocks like Advantest and Screen Holdings outweighed gains in exporters and financials. Meanwhile, inflation slowed to 3.3% in June, aligning with expectations. Among individual movers, Hitachi surged over 3%, while Disco plunged more than 7%.
Across the broader region, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Taiwan rose over 1%, while South Korea and New Zealand posted modest losses. Crude oil prices climbed to $67.54 per barrel, and U.S. stocks closed at record highs, continuing their upward momentum.
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