Global Markets:
- Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei up 0.61%, Shanghai Composite up 0.35%, Hang Seng up 0.47% ASX up 0.39%
- Commodities : Gold at $3,616.87 (0.28%), Silver at $41.550 (0.32%), Brent Oil at $66.87 (-0.18%), WTI Oil at $63.33 (-0.24%)
- Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.151, UK 10-year yield at 4.7240, Germany 10-year yield at 2.7229
News & Data:
- (USD) ADP Non-Farm Employment Change 54K to 73K expected
- (USD) Unemployment Claims 237K to 230K expected
- (USD) ISM Services PMI 52.0 to 50.9 expected
Markets Update:
Asian stock markets traded mostly higher on Friday, tracking strong overnight gains on Wall Street. Sentiment improved after weaker-than-expected U.S. private job growth in August fueled expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this month, with the CME FedWatch Tool showing a 99.4 percent probability of a 25-basis-point reduction at the September 16–17 meeting.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.41 percent to 8,862.60, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 0.44 percent. Financials led the advance, though miners were mixed. BHP and Rio Tinto slipped, while Fortescue and Mineral Resources edged higher. Energy shares were subdued, with Santos and Woodside lower, though Beach Energy gained. Tech trade was mixed—Block and WiseTech declined, while Zip surged over 4 percent. Among banks, NAB led with a gain of more than 1 percent.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.73 percent to 42,890.85, supported by strength in automakers, technology, and exporters. Toyota and Honda gained nearly 1 percent, while Advantest rose 3 percent. Heavyweight Fast Retailing added over 1 percent, and several industrial names including Sumitomo Pharma and TDK jumped sharply.
Elsewhere, Taiwan gained 1.1 percent, while China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand also advanced. Wall Street ended higher Thursday, with the S&P 500 notching a record close. Crude oil fell nearly 1 percent to $63.34 per barrel on oversupply concerns.
Upcoming Events:
- 12:30 PM GMT – CAD Unemployment Rate
- 12:30 PM GMT – CAD Employment Change
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Average Hourly Earnings m/m
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Unemployment Rate
- 12:30 PM GMT – USD Non-Farm Employment Change
