Global stocks dip after weak US jobs, as Trump trip in focus

Investors were also keeping an eye on U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Asia, where he is expected to discuss North Korean nuclear issues. (shutterstock)

SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of— Global markets generally slipped Monday as weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs figures dented sentiment. Investors were also keeping an eye on U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Asia, where he is expected to discuss North Korean nuclear issues.

KEEPING SCORE: European markets opened weaker. Britain’s FTSE 100 inched down less than 0.1 per cent in early trading to 7,558.85. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.3 per cent to 5,504.33 and Germany’s DAX dipped 0.2 per cent to 13,458.71. Futures augured a tepid start on Wall Street. Dow futures added 0.1 per cent while S&P futures dipped 0.1 per cent.

ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s Nikkei 225 finished flat at 22,548.35, while South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.3 per cent to 2,549.41. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was nearly unchanged at 28,596.80, while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.5 per cent to 3,388.17. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.1 per cent to 5,953.80. Stocks in Southeast Asia were mixed.

TRUMP IN TOKYO: Trump is on his first presidential visit to Asia this week, with Japan as his first stop. In remarks to business leaders in Japan’s capital, Trump emphasized that the U.S. has massive trade deficits with Japan and that he hopes to turn that around. He also said his decision to pull the U.S. out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal will prove “to be right.” Trump is to visit South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines in coming days. While denuclearizing North Korea is likely to top his agenda during the visits, trade and business issues will also be discussed.

ANALYST’S TAKE: “While we have a very light U.S. economic diary this week, there will be no lack of political bluster as the U.S. tax reform debate rages while Trump deals with North Korean nuclear ambitions and regional trade relations during his whirlwind tour of Asia,” Stephen Innes, head of trading at OANDA, said in a daily commentary. “But make no mistake the focus is squarely on North Korea headlines.”

U.S. JOBS: On Friday, U.S. employers added fewer-than-expected 261,000 jobs in October, and the unemployment rate dipped to 4.1 per cent, its lowest level in nearly 17 years. But wage growth was also weaker than economists forecast. Average hourly earnings were up 2.4 per cent from a year earlier, a slowdown from September’s 2.8 per cent rate. Analysts said the jobs figures did not dent expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike in December.

OIL: Benchmark U.S. crude rose 40 cents to $56.04 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $1.10 to settle at $55.64 per barrel on Friday, its highest settlement price since July 2015. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 46 cents to $62.53 per barrel. On Friday, it climbed $1.45 to $62.07 per barrel.

CURRENCIES: The U.S. dollar strengthened to 114.27 yen from 114.05 yen while the euro slipped to $1.1607 from $1.1609.