EQUITIES
S&P 500 Index : $3,029.73, down -6.40 points or -0.21%
Dow Jones Industrial Average : $25,400.64, down -147.63 points or -0.58%
Nasdaq Composite Index : $9,368.99, down -43.37 points or -0.46%
Inversely, European exchanges closed trading on positive notes, with London's FTSE 100 gain 1.21%, Germany's DAX up 1.06%, and France's CAC gained 1.76%. Italy's FTSE MIB Index closed 2.46% higher and pan-European Stoxx 600 index increased 1.64% closed Thursday.
Stocks in Asia Pacific opened early trading with mixed reaction, as Japan's Nikkei 225 down 0.34%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng down 0.72%, China's Shanghai Composite up 0.33% and Singapore’s dropped -0.17%. Meanwhile, shares in Australia traded lower, as the S&P/ASX 200 decreased -0.94%, while South Korea’s KOSPI retreated -0.49% in early trading.
OIL
Brent crude futures ended the session higher on Thursday at $35.29 per barrel, a rise of 1.58%, while WTI crude futures rose 2.74%, at $33.71 per barrel.
Currently, oil prices retreated in the morning of Asian trading hours, with Brent is trading at $35.08, while WTI is trading at $33.45 as of writing time.
CURRENCIES
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, last traded at 98.48 after declining from levels above 100 last week and lower than yesterday’s index.
Dollar appreciated against some currencies, including NZD (0.20%), CAD (0.09%), SEK (0.08%), and NOK (0.09%).
Meanwhile, depreciated against some of other major currencies, including against RUB (-0.26%), CHF (-0.07%), JPY (-0.07%), AUD (-0.03%), EUR (-0.02%), MXN (-0.02%), DKK (-0.02%), GBP (-0.01%), and SGD (-0.01%) at latest reading.
GOLD
Gold currently trading at $1,716.80 per ounce, while stands around $1,733.60 per ounce for gold futures as of writing time. Previously closed at $1,719.00 and $1,728.30, respectively.
Silver trading at $17.33, platinum trading at $814.00 and palladium trading at $1,861.00.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
Stocks in Asia Pacific edged lower in Friday morning trade as investors await a news conference from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding China that comes as tensions between Washington and Beijing have risen in recent days. The conference’s statement could mark the end of U.S. cautious approach to China.
New U.S. jobless claims rose, but at their slowest pace since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Also, Japan's jobless rate rises to 2.6% in April.
Oil prices edged lower on Friday after U.S. inventory data showed lacklustre fuel demand in the world’s largest oil consumer, added on U.S.-China tensions.
The IMF approved Peru’s request for a two-year $11 billion flexible credit line.
To date, number of confirmed worldwide cases for COVID-19 pandemic has now reached more than 5,905,000 today affecting 213 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances, recording more than 362,000 fatality globally.
TECHNICAL OUTLOOK
[USDJPY]
Our Preference:
- Long positions, with target at 107.759. stop-loss at week’s low of 107.370.
Commentary/ Reason:
- Stochastic and RSI oscillators reading showing an oversold range, indicating impending upward movement.
- Current retracement is completed, and chart is going into upward movement.
