Asian stocks were mixed Friday after Wall Street closed little-changed amid as optimism about a possible global economic recovery was tempered by concern over rising coronavirus infections.
Global markets have recovered most of this year’s losses as investors look ahead to a possible rebound from the deepest economic slump since the 1930s. But analysts say gains might be too big and too fast to sustain. Enthusiasm has been dented by rising infections in Brazil, some U.S. states and other areas.
Asian Stocks
- The Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.4% to 2,951.39.
- The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo added 0.1% to 22,385.10.
- The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.1% to 24,427.41.
- Seoul’s Kospi shed 0.4% to 2,121.51.
- The S&P-ASX 200 in Australia added 0.8% to 5,986.80.
- New Zealand advanced while Singapore declined.
Oil Prices
- In energy markets, benchmark U.S. crude gained 33 cents to $39.17 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
- The contract settled Thursday at $38.84.
- Brent crude, the benchmark for international prices, advanced 29 cents to $41.80 per barrel in London.
- It settled at $41.51 per barrel the previous session.
Currency Markets
- The dollar gained to 109.91 yen from Thursday’s 109.85.
- The euro was little-changed at $1.1213.
