Asia-Pacific equities mixed

Equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed on Thursday. The Straits Times index in Singapore dropped 0.11 percent to 3,633.88, while the Sydney Ordinaries fell 0.31 percent to 6,401.5. In Seoul, however, the Kospi index added 0.6 percent to 1,794.24, while the Sensex gained 0.61 percent, to 14,499.24. The Taiex index in Taiwan was 1.1 percent higher to 8,851.99. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng index added 1.25 percent to 21,954.67. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.2 percent to close at 18,240.3, its highest end-of-session level in seven years. The Topix index was also higher, adding 0.3 percent to 1,789.38, while the Mothers market of small and mid-caps dropped 0.4 percent to 941.95.

European equities declined on the session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.84 percent lower to 1,606.61. In Madrid, the IBEX dropped 1.02 percent to 14,882.4, while the Paris CAC-40 fell 1.04 percent to 6,029.79 and the Dax was 1.55 percent lower in Frankfurt, to 7,964.71. In London, the FTSE 100 dropped 0.8 percent to 6,596. The FTSE 250 fell 1.55 percent to 11,617.1.

The New York markets were mixed in midday trade. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.27 percent lower to 13,452.76 and the S&P 500 was down 0.11 percent to 1,511.13. On the other hand, the Nasdaq Composite saw gains, adding 0.06 percent to 2,601.44.

West Texas Intermediate crude was lower at midday in New York, while Brent crude was slightly higher. Gasoline, heating oil, and natural gas prices were lower in New York. Metals prices were generally lower.

The New Zealand dollar was higher despite recent attempts by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to cool the currency’s advances. The yen weakened, while the US dollar was mostly even against the euro and sterling but gained in relation to the Canadian dollar. Two-year US Treasury bonds saw prices rise and yields decline, but ten- and thirty-year yields were a bit higher.

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