Share markets were in a muted mood on Thursday

Share markets were in a muted mood on Thursday as fears the U.S. trade tussle with Mexico would further depress global growth warred with wagers central banks would have to respond with fresh stimulus.

Share Markets

  • MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was off 0.2% in very thin trade.
  • Japan’s Nikkei ended all but flat and Shanghai blue chips eased 0.6%.
  • E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 dipped 0.1%, while FTSE futures added 0.03%.
  • The Dow ended Wednesday up 0.82%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.82% and the Nasdaq 0.64%.

Currency Markets

  •  The safe-haven yen was again in demand and nudged the dollar down 0.3% to 108.14.
  • The dollar fared better against a basket of currencies to trade at 97.244, having bounced from a seven-week low overnight.
  • The euro eased back to $1.1228 after briefly stretching as high as $1.1306 on Wednesday.

Commodity Markets

  • In commodity markets, all the chatter of rate cuts helped lift gold to 15-week highs and the precious metal was last trading at $1,332.71 per ounce.
  • Oil prices flatlined after diving overnight when the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported the largest build in crude oil and oil product inventories since 1990.
  • U.S. crude was last up 2 cents at $51.70 a barrel having hit its lowest since January, while Brent crude futures inched up 3 cents to $60.66.

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