Asian stocks were mixed on Thursday, as about the same number of stocks advanced as declined on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index. Futures on the S&P 500 Index gained 0.3% after the gauge slid 1.1% on Wednesday as figures showed that purchases of previously owned homes dropped an annual 5.3%, the fewest since 1997. Economists had estimated resales would rise.
Asian markets (Thurs)
04:30am GMT
Nikkei up 78.01 (1.05%) to 7,539.23
Topix up 3.70 (0.49%) 749.25
Hang Seng down 106.92 (-0.82%) at 12,898.16
US markets (Wed)
DJIA down 80.05 (-1.09%) at 7,270.89
Nasdaq down 16.40 (-1.14%) at 1,425.43
S&P500 down 8.24 (-1.07%) at 764.90
European markets (Wed)
FTSE100 up 32.54 (0.85%) at 3,848.98
Eurofirst 300 down 3.23 (-0.45%) at 716.15
Currencies
04:20 GMT
€/$ 1.2741 (1.2849)
$/¥ 97.91 (96.90)
£/$ 1.4262 (1.4536)
Commodities (updated)
04:15 GMT
Brent Crude (Apr09) up $0.26 at $44.55
Light Crude (Apr09) up $0.18 at $42.68
100 Oz Gold (Apr09) down $12.70 at $953.50
Copper (3M 24hr) up $45.00 at $3,435.00
10-year government bond yields (%)
US 2.91 (2.80)
UK 3.47 (3.41)
Germany 3.01 (2.99)
Japan 1.27 (1.29)
Sources: FT, Reuters