Shares in Hong Kong jumped while most other markets in Asia and Europe eked out small gains. Oil prices rose as investors awaited Israel’s response to Iran’s Tuesday missile attack. China’s markets remained closed for Golden Week holidays.
- S&P 500 Futures: 5,753.75 ⬆️ up 0.07%
- S&P 500: 5,699.94 ⬇️ down 0.17%
- Nasdaq Composite: 17,918.48 ⬇️ down 0.04%
- DowJones Industrial Average: 42,011.59 ⬇️ down 0.44%
- STOXX Europe 600: 517.39 ⬆️ up 0.21%
- Hang Seng Index: 22,736.87 ⬆️ up 2.82%
- Nikkei 225: 38,635.62 ⬆️ up 0.22%
- Bitcoin: $61,565.00 ⬆️ up 1.35%
China: Hong Kong stocks resume rally after one-day pause
Hong Kong shares resumed their rally on the back of China’s stimulus measures, jumping 2.82% a day after traders took profits following a three-week rise of some 30%.
Japan: Prime minister outlines economic plan
The Nikkei 225 stayed level to end a yo-yo week, edging out a 0.22% gain after new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba laid out his economic plan, including above-inflation pay hikes for workers and support for low-income households.
The yen remained weakened after Ishiba downplayed the prospect of imminent interest rate hikes earlier this week. This is good news for the country’s big export manufacturers, but a weak yen raises the cost of importing oil at a time of rising energy prices.
Europe: Stocks hover as investors eye Middle East
European stocks hovered near break-even, with the STOXX Europe 600 rising 0.21% and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 dropping 0.31% in early trading. Energy stocks led the way, aided by a 5% rise in oil prices Thursday after President Joe Biden said the U.S. was discussing support for a possible Israeli strike on Iranian oil facilities.
Shares in shipper Maersk dropped 7% in early trading on news of the pause in the U.S. port strike, as the prospect of a spike in freight rates faded. Asian shippers Cosco and Nippon Yusen took hits earlier in the day.
U.S. premarket flat as traders await jobs report
All three U.S. indexes were flat in premarket trading Friday, as investors digested Biden’s comments on a possible Israeli strike on Iran and awaited September’s big jobs report—which is set to have a big influence on future interest rate cuts—out before the bell.
Spirit Airlines shares dropped a third in premarket trading after the Wall Street Journal reported it was considering bankruptcy following its failed merger with JetBlue.
The Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 continued their slide
Stocks dropped as oil prices surged, with Brent crude jumping 5%, reaching $77.62 per barrel, after starting the week under $72. This puts it on track for its largest weekly gain in almost two years. Investors’ eyes are on the Middle East crisis, where ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran threaten global supply chains, as the region accounts for a third of global oil output.
Meanwhile, Nvidia shares bucked the trend, rising over 3% after CEO Jensen Huang highlighted strong demand for its next-gen Blackwell chips. The Dow slid 0.44%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.17%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gave up 0.04%.
