Asian shares were mostly lower on Wednesday as investors kept a wary eye on how the coronavirus pandemic will affect the economic outlook.
Asian shares
- Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% to 23,220.33, reopening after a four-day weekend, while the Hang Seng in Hong Kong edged 0.1% lower, to 23,700.69. South Korea’s Kospi sank 0.8% to 2,313.86.
- Shares fell in Thailand, Singapore and Taiwan but rose in Jakarta.
- The Shanghai Composite index inched up 0.1% to 3,275.87.
- Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 1.5% to 5,871.90 after the government said retail sales fell 4.2% from the month before in August, much less than the 11% forecast, Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics said in a commentary.
Bonds
- Treasury yields have dipped, and the 10-year yield was steady at 0.67%.
Commodities
- U.S. benchmark crude gave up 38 cents to $39.42 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It rose 26 cents to $39.80 per barrel on Tuesday.
- Brent crude slipped 37 cents to $41.35 per barrel.
Currency Markets
- The U.S. dollar rose to 105.08 Japanese yen from 104.93 yen late Tuesday.
- The euro weakened to $1.1686 from $1.1710.