Stock markets and bond yields held steady on Wednesday, as hopes of easing U.S.-China tensions and diminished risk of a no-deal Brexit prompted traders to take profit before key central bank meetings.
Asian Stock Markets
- MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.4%.
- Japan’s Nikkei average climbed 0.9%.
- The Topix Value index jumping 1.9% whereas the Topix Growth added 0.8%.
- The Shanghai Composite and the blue-chip CSI300 were almost flat and down 0.3%, respectively, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 1.4%.
Currency Markets
- The dollar traded at 107.72 yen.
- The euro stood little changed at $1.1050.
- The British pound stood at $1.2351.
Oil Prices
- Brent crude futures rose 0.7% to $62.80 a barrel.
- U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 0.8% to $57.84 per barrel.