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Asia stocks mixed, yen nears intervention zone

Japanese stocks advanced amid a weakening yen on Wednesday while Chinese stocks slipped, with general regional trading lacking strong instructions in a. holidayshortened week that ends with an essential reading of U.S. inflation.

Japan's Nikkei acquired 0.93% to 40,775.62 since 0155. GMT, heading back towards the all-time high of 41,087.75 reached. last Friday.

The yen edged toward the 152-per-dollar mark that some see. as the red zone for reserve bank intervention, after Japanese. authorities stepped in at 151.94 in October of 2022. The yen was. last about 0.1% weaker at 151.73.

The yen has been sliding despite the Bank of Japan's very first. rates of interest trek for 17 years recently.

BOJ board member Naoki Tamura strengthened the dovish outlook. regarding even more tightening up on Wednesday, saying the main. bank should move gradually but steadily towards policy. normalisation.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng and mainland Chinese blue chips. each lost about 0.4%, reversing gains from the. previous session.

Overall, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares. advanced 0.11%, but that flipped to a 0.22%. decrease if Japanese shares were removed.

It's choppy, directionless trading, and there's a great. factor for that: we've hit that time of the quarter when. rebalancing flows are impacting the marketplace, said Tony Sycamore,. a strategist at IG.

Another factor is that two essential occasions - the release of the. U.S. Federal Reserve's favoured inflation sign and public. remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell - begun Friday, when. most markets are closed for a holiday, he added.

Inflation data have actually not been doing what's expected, and in. the event of a hot reading, the bumpy road that the Fed has. been speaking about unexpectedly begins to look more like a mountain. trek, Sycamore stated.

The U.S. dollar index, which determines the currency. against 6 major peers, consisting of the yen, was 0.1% higher at. 104.39, taking it simply below Friday's five-week high of 104.49.

The euro eased 0.07% to $1.08245. Sterling. fell 0.11% to $1.2615.

Traders are trying to determine which of the huge central banks. will be first to cut rates this year.

Meanwhile, Sweden's Riksbank chooses policy later on in the. day, with a hold widely expected, however markets are taking a look at. tips for a cut by June.

U.S. long-lasting Treasury note yields were steady. at 4.2356%.

Gold relieved 0.1% to around $2,176 as it continued to. look for a short-term flooring following its rise to a record. $ 2,222.39 on Thursday.

Cryptocurrency bitcoin included 0.7% to $70,303.

Crude oil succumbed to a 2nd day after a report that crude. stockpiles rose in the U.S., the world's biggest oil user, and. on indications significant producers are not likely to alter their output. policy at a technical meeting next week.

Brent unrefined futures for May dropped 69 cents, or. 0.8%, to $85.56 a barrel. The May contract is set to end on. Thursday and the more actively traded June agreement. declined 60 cents, or 0.7%, to $85.03.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for. May delivery fell 55 cents, or 0.7%, to $81.07.

(source: Reuters)