Asian stocks rose on Friday, paring the benchmark index’s steepest weekly loss in two months, as the weaker yen boosted Japan’s electronics and auto producers and speculation grew that China will pass another stimulus package. The rise followed US stocks up overnight, even as bank shares plunged on both sides of the Atlantic amid renewed fears about financial system stability.
Asian markets (Fri)
05:25am GMT
Nikkei up 216.35 (+2.70%) to 8,239.66
Topix up 19.15 (+2.41%) 815.14
Hang Seng up 29.61 (+0.22%) at 13,272.57
US markets (Thurs)
DJIA up 12.35 (+0.35%) at 8,212.49
Nasdaq up 22.20 (+1.49%) at 1,511.84
S&P500 up 1.12 (+0.13%) at 843.74
European markets (Thurs)
FTSE100 down 59.53 (-1.42%) at 4,121.11
Eurofirst 300 down 7.85 (-0.98%) at 796.32
Currencies
05:26 GMT
€/$ 1.3214 (1.3263)
$/¥ 90.48 (88.42)
£/$ 1.4768 (1.4606)
Commodities
05:30 GMT
Brent Crude (Mar09) down $0.20 at $47.48
Light Crude (Feb09) down $0.03 at $35.37
100 Oz Gold (Feb09) up $11.20 at $818.50
Copper (Mar09) down 5.00 at $3,305
10-year government bond yields (%)
US 2.25 (2.17)
UK 3.13 (3.11)
Germany 2.88 (2.92)
Japan 1.22 (1.22)
Sources: FT, Reuters