Asian stocks stable as investors assess global conditions

Tokyo Stock Exchange (Photo by EXECUTOR – Own work, Public Domain).

HONG KONG—Asian stock markets held fairly steady Friday, as investors, pleased by U.S. and Japanese central bank policy decisions this week to keep rates low for the time being, paused to assess global conditions.

Keeping score

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index dipped 0.3 per cent to 16,763.19 while South Korea’s Kospi crept up 0.1 per cent to 2,052.49. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.1 per cent to 23,734.77 and the Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China dipped 0.2 per cent 3,036.20. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1 per cent to 5,427.90.

Global outlook

Markets rallied earlier this week after the Fed and the Bank of Japan both decided to keep key interest rates at the ultralow levels that have fueled a multi-year stock market boom. U.S. policymakers said the case for a rate hike has strengthened but held off for now, adding to speculation that it won’t make a move until December. Investors are now looking ahead to the release next week of a raft of economic data, such as monthly U.S. consumer confidence and durable goods orders and Chinese factory activity, for the latest insights on the world economy’s health.

Quoteworthy

“Global monetary policy is set to remain easy for some time yet,” Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy at AMP Capital in Sydney, said in a report. “Which means the broad environment (i.e. beyond short term event risks) remains positive for shares and growth assets.”

Wall Street

Major U.S. benchmarks finished with solid gains. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.5 per cent to 18,392.46. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 0.7 per cent to 2,177.18 and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8 per cent to 5,339.52.

Energy

U.S. benchmark crude oil futures lost 52 cents to $45.80 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 98 cents to settle at $46.32 a barrel on Thursday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 45 cents to $47.76 a barrel.

Currencies

The dollar climbed to 100.95 yen from 100.84 yen in late trading Thursday. The euro slipped to $1.1201 from $1.1209.