KOSPI
While Saudi Arabia has sought to shield its powerful crown prince from the killing, many officials have cast doubt on Riyadh’s narrative.
Spreadbetters expected European stocks to open mixed, with Britain’s FTSE and Germany’s DAX each slipping about 0.1 percent and France’s CAC inching up 0.05 percent.
Spreadbetters pointed to a subdued start for European shares with FTSE futures off 0.2 percent. E-Minis for the S&P500 were a shade softer too.
Investors in the region took some comfort from hopes that the trade talks between the U.S. and China expected this week will ease trade tensions.
European markets looked set to open higher after U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker had agreed to work to lower industrial tariffs on both sides.
Official data showed China’s economy grew 6.7 percent in the second quarter of 2018, cooling from the 6.8 percent growth registered in each of the previous three quarters.
Spreadbetters expected European stocks to open little changed, with Britain’s FTSE flat, Germany’s DAX 0.02 percent lower and France’s CAC down 0.1 percent.
S&P 500 futures ESc1 turned higher, rising 0.3 percent and pointing to possible gains on Wall Street after major U.S. indexes closed lower Tuesday.
U.S. and European equity markets looked set to follow Asia into the red. S&P 500 futures ESc1 were off 1 percent and Dow Jones futures 1YMcv1 were 1.1 percent lower.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS gained 0.6 percent after slumping on Wednesday to its weakest since early April.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan tumbled 1.4 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei average sold off 1.5 percent to a six-week low.
A broad MSCI index of car and car parts companies fell 1.1 percent. Tokyo’s SE TOPIX transport equipment index lost 3 percent.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan slipped 0.15 percent, as weaker Chinese stocks weighed on the market.
Asian stocks pulled further away from two-month lows on Tuesday, lifted by Wall Street’s extended rebound from last week’s steep fall.
Asia stocks pulled further back from record highs on Wednesday as the recent rise in global bond yields weighed on equities.
Asian stocks reached a 10-year high on Thursday, riding the bull run in global equity markets.
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