Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday after US stocks fell overnight; Asian technology and mining stocks fell as Japan’s exports slumped by a record annual 49% and metal prices dropped. Banks advanced. Futures on the S&P 500 Index added 0.4% after the gauge fell 2% Tuesday as Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury secretary Tim Geithner called for new powers to seize failing financial firms.
Asian markets (Wed)
05:35am GMT
Nikkei down 54.68 (-0.64%) at 8,433.62
Topix down 2.26 (-0.28%) at 810.42
Hang Seng down 73.25 (-0.53%) at 13,837.09
US markets (Tues)
DJIA down 115.89 (-1.49%) at 7,659.57
Nasdaq down 39.25 (-2.52%) at 1,516.52
S&P500 down 16.80 (-2.04%) at 806.12
European markets (Tues)
FTSE100 down 41.35 (-1.05%) at 3,911.46
Eurofirst 300 up 1.31 (0.18%) at 740.83
Currencies
03:52 GMT
€/$ 1.3479 (1.3661)
$/¥ 97.77 (97.68)
£/$ 1.4681 (1.4685)
Commodities (updated)
03:50 GMT
Brent Crude (May09) down $0.82 at $52.68
Light Crude (May09) down $0.65 at $53.33
100 Oz Gold (Apr09) $5.70 at $929.50
Copper (3M 24hr) up $25.00 at $3,995.00
10-year government bond yields (%)
US 2.69 (2.66)
UK 3.32 (3.14)
Germany 3.15 (3.03)
Japan 1.26 (1.26)
Sources: FT, Reuters