Asian shares was set to cling to a near three-year peak while the dollar stayed sluggish on Friday as the prospect of a divided U.S. legislature dimmed the chance of major policy changes, lifting risk appetite.
Asian Shares
- Australian shares jumped 0.7% and MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.22% to a level last seen in February 2018.
- Japan’s Nikkei futures fell 0.2%.
- E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 were flat.
Currency
- A softer dollar supported the Japanese yen, which climbed to a near eight-month high of 103.43 yen against the dollar overnight.
- It was steady in early Asian trade at 103.52 yen.
Commodities
- Oil prices were sluggish after a bout of profit-taking in early trade. Brent crude was down 1.04%, or 43 cents, at $40.80 a barrel.
- Gold, which is limited in supply and seen as a hedge against inflation in an era of ultra-loose monetary and fiscal policies, was firm at $1,949.0599 an ounce after jumping over 2% overnight.
