ICMarket

Wednesday 4th October 2023: Asia-Pacific Markets Experience Downturn as Hong Kong Leads the Slide


Global Markets:

  •  Asian Stock Markets : Nikkei down 2.17, Shanghai Composite up 0.10, Hang Seng down 0.71, ASX down 0.77%
  • Commodities : Gold at $1833.45 (-0.58%), Silver at $21.15 (-1.05%), Brent Oil at $90.48 (-0.48%), WTI Oil at $88.75 (-0.54%)
  • Rates : US 10-year yield at 4.875, UK 10-year yield at 4.719, Germany 10-year yield at 3.023

News & Data:

  • (USD) JOLTS Job Openings 9.61M vs 8.81M expected
  • (USD) IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism 36.3 vs 41.6 expected
  • (USD) Wards Total Vehicle Sales 15.7M vs 15.4M expected

Markets Update:

On Tuesday, Asia-Pacific markets experienced a notable downturn, primarily led by Hong Kong stocks following their return from the National Day holiday. The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong closed 1.17% lower at 17,331.22, showing a modest recovery from a more substantial early-session drop of over 3%. Meanwhile, in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined by 0.77%, closing at 6,943.4. This downturn was a response to the central bank’s decision to maintain interest rates at 4.10%, as had been widely expected according to a Reuters poll. 

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 also experienced a decline, dropping by 2.1% to close at 31,237.94. Notably, South Korean and Chinese markets remained closed for holiday observance. 

Overnight in the United States, the three major indexes displayed mixed performance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average recorded a 0.22% decline, closing at 33,433.35. Conversely, the S&P 500 saw a minimal increase of 0.01%, closing at 4,288.39, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.67%, ultimately closing at 13,307.77.

Upcoming Events: 

  • 12:15 PM GMT – USD ADP Non-Farm Employment Change
  • 1:45 PM GMT – USD Final Services PMI
  • 2:00 PM GMT – USD ISM Services PMI
  • 2:30 PM GMT – USD Crude Oil Inventories

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