European markets see gains

The Asia and Pacific markets were mixed on Tuesday, with most markets higher but Tokyo seeing declines. In India, the Sensex added 0.09 percent to 13,189.54. The Singapore Straits Times index was 0.67 percent to 3,422.62, while the Hang Seng index gained 0.68 percent to 20,347.87 in Hong Kong. In Australia, the Sydney Ordinaries added 1.25 percent to close at 6,139.1. The Tokyo markets were lower as the yen strengthened slightly. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.45 percent to 17,664.69 and the Topix index fell 0.14 percent to 1,735.69.

European markets were also higher on the session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.44 percent to 1,546.93. In Frankfurt, the Dax added 0.94 percent to 7,166.67, while the CAC-40 was 0.43 percent higher to close at 5,766.27 in Paris. The London markets saw gains, with the FTSE 100 up 0.32 percent to 6,417.8 and the FTSE 250 adding 0.63 percent to 11,991.1.

Wall Street was mixed in midday trade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.1 percent lower to 12,555.97, while the Nasdaq composite was up 0.11 percent to 2,471.93 and the S&P 500 had added a bare 0.03 percent to 1,445.05.

Crude oil prices were up slightly, as were gasoline and heating oil futures, while most metals prices were substantially higher. Even with a net decline for the day, nickel prices reached a new record high before declining.

The US dollar was weaker in relation to the euro and sterling, and while it gained a bit on the yen that mostly had to do with the Bank of Japan’s decision to hold interest rates at 0.5 percent. The yen was weaker on the session, while sterling was mixed. In the government bonds markets, meanwhile, yields dropped on US Treasury bonds, while yields were up in the UK and Eurozone.

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