European stocks rebound at open
European stock markets recovered slightly at the start of trading Thursday following gains in Tokyo. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index won 0.3 percent to 7,070.10 points, while the embattled pound gained a little versus the dollar. In the eurozone, Frankfurt’s DAX index won 0.7 percent to 12,606.62 points and the Paris CAC 40 advanced 0.4 percent to 6,009.31.
Indices gain around 0.3pc with sensex ending at 58,222
Indian Benchmark indices trimmed most of the gains towards the end but still ended in the green on Thursday. Sensex added 157 points to close at 58,222. Nifty gained 46 points to close at 17,320. Metal, Realty and Media shined in today’s trading, while FMCG and Pharma/Healthcare remained under pressure. IT index also made reasonable gains. JSW Steel jumped more than 5 percent, while JSW Steel and Coal India soared by more than 4 percent. Among laggards, Bharti Airtel and Hindustan Unilever featured prominently. Asian stocks had a mixed day but most of the indices made gains as investors wait for the US jobs data expected on Friday. Japan’s Nikkei index closed higher on Thursday after touching a two-week peak during the session helped by energy and chip-related stocks. The Nikkei share average ended 0.7 percent higher. Hong Kong shares slid on Thursday as investors focussed on China’s economic growth prospects. Trading was quiet as most market participants stayed on the sidelines as China was closed for the week for a holiday. The Hang Seng index ended 0.42 percent lower and the Hang Seng China Enterprises index fell 0.69 percent.
Japan’s nikkei hits two-week top amid jump in energy, chip shares
Japan’s Nikkei index closed higher on Thursday, after touching a two-week peak during the session, as markets extended their rebound from multi-month lows, helped by energy and chip-related stocks. The Nikkei share average ended 0.7 percent higher at 27,311.30, after reaching a high of 27,399.19, a level not seen since Sept. 21. The benchmark faded in the final minutes of trading, after spending most of the afternoon preserving the strong gains from the morning. The broader Topix rose 0.5 percent to 1,922.47, also gaining for a fourth day and touching a two-week peak of 1,930.47. Gains were capped by caution ahead of a monthly US jobs report on Friday and a market holiday in Japan on Monday, market players said. Energy was the best performing Nikkei sector, up 1.24 percent amid a rise in crude oil prices to multi-week highs. Chip shares also had an outsized influence on the Nikkei’s gain, following a 0.94 percent rally in the US Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index overnight.
France stocks lower at close of trade
France stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Financials, Consumer Goods and Basic Materials sectors led shares lower. At the close in Paris, the CAC 40 lost 0.82 percent, while the SBF 120 index declined 0.74 percent. Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Paris Stock Exchange by 264 to 262 and 97 ended unchanged. The CAC 40 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of CAC 40 options, was unchanged 0.00 percent to 18.96 a new 52-week high. Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.03 percent or 0.60 to $1,720.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.56 percent or 0.49 to hit $88.25 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.76 percent or 0.71 to trade at $94.08 a barrel. EUR/USD was down 0.80 percent to 0.98, while EUR/GBP rose 0.84 percent to 0.88. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.97 percent at 112.08.
Saudi Arabia stocks lower at close of trade
Saudi Arabia stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Real Estate Development, Multi Investment and Insurance sectors led shares lower. At the close in Saudi Arabia, the Tadawul All Share lost 0.11 percent. Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Saudi Arabia Stock Exchange by 134 to 100 and 15 ended unchanged. Crude oil for November delivery was up 0.41 percent or 0.36 to $88.12 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in December rose 0.30 percent or 0.28 to hit $93.65 a barrel, while the December Gold Futures contract fell 0.05 percent or 0.85 to trade at $1,719.95 a troy ounce. EUR/SAR was down 0.60 percent to 3.69, while USD/SAR unchanged 0.05 percent to 3.76. The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.70 percent at 111.79.