Asian markets traded flat on Thursday as investors reacted cautiously to mixed data from China, while the pound hovered near nine-month highs as the risk of a no-deal Brexit receded following a late-night vote.
Asian markets
- MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan held at 522.06 points.
- Japan’s Nikkei rose 0.5 percent.
- Australian and New Zealand shares each added 0.2 percent.
- Shanghai’s SSE (LON:SSE) Composite index stumbled 1.2 percent
- The blue-chip CSI 300 eased 0.4 percent.
Currency
- The euro extended gains for a fifth day in a row to the highest since March 5. It was last at $1.1329.
- The dollar index hovered near a seven-day trough hit after the inflation data against a basket of major currencies against the Japanese yen, the greenback gained slightly to 111.44.
Commodities
Oil prices extended overnight gains.
- U.S. crude up 15 cents per barrel at $58.41.
- Brent adding 22 cents to $67.77.
