World stocks News

Oil prices fell back below $100 a barrel after soaring on Thursday as concerns over supply disruptions eased. On Friday, missiles pounded the Ukrainian capital as Russian forces pressed their advance. Russian stocks soared more than 10% - but that followed one of the three biggest ever single-day stock market crashes in history.

Kyiv and the West fear that a border incident near eastern Ukraine could be used as a pretext for Moscow to attack its neighbour. Russia denies such plans. Markets are on high alert for any escalation in the crisis. S&P 500 stock futures fell 0.66%. Nasdaq futures dropped 1.2%.

The Dow will wipe out the entire Trump-bump if the blue-chip index falls another 1,500 points from current levels. 

With all three main indexes down more than 3%, and record numbers of stocks hitting 52-week lows, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq looked set to follow at the close.

Asian share markets were fighting to stabilise at the end of a punishing week as investors clutched at hopes China could contain the coronavirus, even as headlines spoke of more cases and more deaths.

The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, as expected, although bank Chairman Jerome Powell`s comments about a low inflation outlook added to US government bonds` appeal.

Asian stocks extended a global selloff on Tuesday as China took more drastic steps to combat a deadly new coronavirus, while bonds shone on expectations central banks would need to keep stimulus flowing to offset the likely economic drag.

US Treasury prices advanced, pushing down yields further, with the benchmark 10-year notes dropping to a 3-1/2-month trough of 1.627% in early Asian trade.

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.45%. Blue chip Chinese shares slumped 0.91%. Australian shares were down 0.57%, while Japan`s Nikkei stock index slid 0.6%.

Oil prices jumped as oilfields in southwest Libya began shutting down after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar closed a pipeline, potentially reducing national output to a fraction of its normal level.

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.13%, Japan`s benchmark Nikkei and South Korea`s Kospi shed 0.29% and 0.48%, respectively, while Australian stocks added 0.33%.

Asian shares paused near 19-month peaks on Monday ahead of the expected signing on a Sino-US trade deal, though talks on a phase two package are likely to drag on for months. MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan barely budged, having hit the highest since mid-2018 last week.

MSCI`s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 1% lower shortly after China`s share markets began trading, with China`s blue-chip CSI300 index down 0.56%. Japan`s Nikkei tumbled 2.2% and Australian shares fell more than 1%. 

Japan`s Nikkei dipped 0.1% and away from its 2019 top, while Korean shares edged up 0.1% to an eight-month peak. E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 were little changed. Upbeat economic news had helped the S&P 500 reach a record for the fourth straight session, building on its 27% gain this year. 

Away from the main markets, bitcoin`s vertiginous ascent showed no signs of abating, with the cryptocurrency soaring to another record high just a few percent away from $10,000 after gaining more than a fifth in value over the past three days alone.

Bond markets are having an increasing impact on FX and equity markets, the strategists said, drawing parallels with moves seen in 2013 during the so-called "taper tantrum," when Fed signals about withdrawing liquidity hit markets.   

World stocks hit record highs on Thursday and the dollar dipped after the US Federal Reserve signalled caution in raising interest rates, while oil prices rose in anticipation of top producers agreeing to extend output cuts for up to a year.

The euro hit a six-month high against the dollar on Monday while Asian shares gained and US stock futures briefly touched a record high, on investor relief after centrist Emmanuel Macron comfortably won the French presidential election.

World stocks hit their highest level since mid-2015 on Thursday after strong Chinese data added to the optimism about global growth and inflation that has been driving markets since the start of the new year.

 World stocks hit their highest in more than a year and the dollar fell against the yen on Wednesday as expectations of a rise in Federal Reserve interest rates receded after weak US economic data.