TOKYO (AP) – Global shares traded mixed yesterday, as Japan’s benchmark ticked up but quickly ran out of steam over news the prime minister won’t seek reelection as head of the governing party.
France’s CAC 40 added 0.7 per cent in early trading to 7,324.59, while Germany’s DAX edged up 0.4 per cent to 17,888.68. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.6 per cent to 8,280.28. US shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures rising 0.1 per cent to 39,927.00. S&P 500 futures were virtually unchanged at 5,458.50.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.6 per cent to finish at 36,442.43 following a day of ups and downs. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3 per cent to 7,850.70. South Korea’s Kospi added nearly 0.9 per cent to 2,644.50. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost about 0.4 per cent to 17,113.36, while the Shanghai Composite shed 0.6 per cent to 2,850.656.
The overnight rise on Wall Street also boosted investor optimism.
A cautious mood remains in global markets over uncertainty about the US economy. Next week brings a slew of economic data about Japan, including machinery orders, trade statistics, tallies of travellers from abroad, unemployment and consumer prices. Analysts think the Japanese economy basically remains on solid ground, thanks to the strong performance of some Japanese companies.
