Investment accounts
Adult accounts
Child accounts
Choosing Fidelity
Choosing Fidelity
Why invest with us Current offers Fees and charges Open an account Transfer investments
Financial advice & support
Fidelity’s Services
Fidelity’s Services
Financial advice Retirement Wealth Management Investor Centre (London) Bereavement
Guidance and tools
Guidance and tools
Choosing investments Choosing accounts ISA calculator Retirement calculators
Share dealing
Choose your shares
Tools and information
Tools and information
Share prices and markets Chart and compare shares Stock market news Shareholder perks IPOs and placings
Pensions & retirement
Pensions, tax & tools
Saving for retirement
Approaching / In retirement
Approaching / In retirement
Speak to a specialist Creating a retirement plan Taking tax-free cash Pension drawdown Annuities Investing in retirement Investment Pathways
Asia report: Markets mixed ahead of US payrolls report
(Sharecast News) - Asia-Pacific stock markets ended with mixed results on Friday, as investors across the region cautiously awaited pivotal US jobs data. The non-farm payrolls report, due out later in the global day, could influence the Federal Reserve's next decision on interest rates.
"Asian equity markets mostly traded with mixed results amid uncertainty in global markets," said TickMill market analyst Patrick Munnelly.
"Japan's Nikkei 225 showed slight gains, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng outperformed due to strength in various sectors.
"Market sentiment remained cautious as investors awaited the release of the US non-farm payrolls report, which is closely watched for its impact on economic conditions and interest rate expectations."
Munnelly said the report could provide clues about the Fed's future policy decisions and the trajectory of interest rates.
"Additionally, a potential meeting between US President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping added to hopes of stabilising US-China relations, although no confirmation was available."
Bourses mixed across region, China still closed
In Japan, markets were mixed, with the Nikkei 225 experiencing a slight dip of 0.26% to settle at 30,994.67, while the Topix marginally rose by 0.01% to 2,264.08.
Notable downward shifts on Tokyo's benchmark were seen in shares of Ube Industries, down 3.52%; Inpex, off 2.37%; and Shiseido, which lost 2.35%.
China's financial markets remained dormant due to the ongoing National Day holiday, having last traded on 28 September.
Over in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index presented a more optimistic picture, appreciating by 1.58% to finish at 17,485.98.
Alibaba Health Information Technology saw a robust increase of 4.12%, followed by Longfor Properties and Sino Biopharmaceutical, up by 3.7% and 3.37%, respectively.
South Korea's Kospi also leaned towards the positive side, charting a gain of 0.21%, closing at 2,408.73.
Firms in the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors witnessed a notable upswing, with Hanmi Pharm Co up 7.41%, Hanmi Science ahead 6.79%, and Kumho Petro Chemical rising 4.74%.
Moving to Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 experienced a moderate uptick of 0.41% to close at 6,954.20.
Ramelius Resources made headway of 6.02%, alongside a 3.49% rise for Genesis Energy and a 3.24% uplift for De Grey Mining.
In contrast, New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 ended the day with a 0.2% fall, settling at 11,287.03.
Leading the losers in Wellington, Scales Corporation fell 2.91%, NZX lost 2.8%, and A2 Milk Company was off 2%.
On the currencies front, the dollar was last up 0.35% on the yen, trading at JPY 149.03, and advanced 0.11% against the Aussie to AUD 1.5716.
The greenback did, however, weaken marginally against the Kiwi, retreating 0.03% to change hands at NZD 1.6757/
Regarding oil prices, both benchmarks witnessed modest ascents, with Brent crude futures last up 0.12% on ICE at $84.17 per barrel and the NYMEX quote for West Texas Intermediate climbing 0.22% to reach $82.49.
Reserve Bank of India maintains steady interest rates
In economic news, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) opted to sustain its interest rates at 6.5%, aligning with the projections of polling by Reuters.
In a statement during the monetary policy announcement, RBI Governor Shri Shaktikanta Das articulated the central bank's apprehensions regarding inflation and its potential implications on the nation's economic stability and growth trajectories.
In August, India saw a retail inflation rate of 6.83% year-on-year, with persistent food inflation significantly contributing to the surge.
"The Reserve Bank is concerned; we have identified high inflation as a major risk to macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth," Governor Das said.
"Our monetary policy remains resolutely focused on aligning inflation to the 4% target on a durable basis."
Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
Share this article
Related Sharecast Articles
Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Award-winning online share dealing
Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.
Expert insights into investing your money
Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.
Policies and important information
Accessibility | Conflicts of interest statement | Consumer Duty Target Market | Consumer Duty Value Assessment Statement | Cookie policy | Diversity and Inclusion | Doing Business with Fidelity | Fidelity gender pay report | Investing in Fidelity funds | Legal information | Modern slavery | Mutual respect policy | Privacy statement | Remuneration policy | Security | Statutory and Regulatory disclosures | Whistleblowing policy
Please remember that past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance, the performance of investments is not guaranteed, and the value of your investments can go down as well as up, so you may get back less than you invest. When investments have particular tax features, these will depend on your personal circumstances and tax rules may change in the future. This website does not contain any personal recommendations for a particular course of action, service or product. You should regularly review your investment objectives and choices and, if you are unsure whether an investment is suitable for you, you should contact an authorised financial adviser. Before opening an account, please read the ‘Doing Business with Fidelity’ document which incorporates our client terms. Prior to investing into a fund, please read the relevant key information document which contains important information about the fund.
This website is issued by Financial Administration Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (FCA Register number 122169) and registered in England and Wales under company number 1629709 whose registered address is Beech Gate, Millfield Lane, Lower Kingswood, Tadworth, Surrey, KT20 6RP.