Asian Stocks Rally as Oil Slips, Yen Weakens - Asia Market Wrap
Wall Street’s rally extended into Asia as another decline in oil prices eased inflation concerns. The yen weakened after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates in a split decision. MSCI’s gauge of Asian equities climbed 0.8% after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posted their strongest gains since early August. Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and other regional chipmakers rallied following Nvidia’s bullish outlook. US equity futures pointed to further gains, while European shares were set for a slightly weaker open. The yen fell to around 157.10 per dollar after the BOJ raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%, with two board members dissenting. The Nikkei 225 advanced 1.7%. Brent crude fell 1.3% to about $103.50 a barrel, extending its decline to a third day as supply concerns eased and traders turned their attention to further diplomatic efforts over the US-Iran war. The yen remained a key focus after the BOJ followed the Federal Reserve in raising rates. The Fed’s hawkish hike earlier this week pushed the yen lower following a sharp rally earlier this month driven by expectations of faster BOJ tightening, an unwinding of yen-funded carry trades and speculation that Japanese p
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Wall Street’s rally extended into Asia as another decline in oil prices eased inflation concerns. The yen weakened after the Bank of Japan raised interest rates in a split decision. 8% after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posted their strongest gains since early August. Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and other regional chipmakers rallied following Nvidia’s bullish outlook.
US equity futures pointed to further gains, while European shares were set for a slightly weaker open. 25%, with two board members dissenting. 7%. 50 a barrel, extending its decline to a third day as supply concerns eased and traders turned their attention to further diplomatic efforts over the US-Iran war.
The yen remained a key focus after the BOJ followed the Federal Reserve in raising rates. The Fed’s hawkish hike earlier this week pushed the yen lower following a sharp rally earlier this month driven by expectations of faster BOJ tightening, an unwinding of yen-funded carry trades and speculation that Japanese pension funds could increase domestic allocations. 02% following the Fed decision. Australian and New Zealand government bonds gained, tracking Treasuries.
Gold extended its advance to around $4,360 an ounce after rising almost 2% Thursday, recovering much of the losses from the previous three sessions. The yuan climbed to its strongest level against the dollar in more than four years, extending a rally supported by strong Chinese exports and central-bank backing.