· European stocks were slightly higher Thursday, with shares of major airlines rallying in afternoon trade, after EU leaders granted the U.K. a further extension to the date of Brexit.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally up around 0.1%, with most sectors and major bourses in positive territory.
· Asian shares weakened on Friday as trepidation ahead of the start of the U.S. corporate earnings season and underlying anxiety over the global growth outlook eclipsed some reassuring U.S. economic data.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.1 percent, having earlier see-sawed within a tight range.
Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist at CMC Markets and Stockbroking in Sydney, said markets were in a “holding pattern” as they awaited Chinese trade data and the U.S. earnings season.
· Japan’s Nikkei share average inched up to close at a four-month high on Friday, but was little changed for the week, as many investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of the U.S. and domestic earnings season and an upcoming 10-day holiday in Japan.
The benchmark Nikkei closed at 21,870.56, up 159.18 points, or 0.7 percent, its highest level since December 5.
· Shanghai stocks recouped losses to end flat on Friday, as better-than-expected exports brought some relief to investors looking for signs of stabilization in the world’s second-largest economy.
The blue-chip CSI300 index fell 0.2 percent, to 3,988.62 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index ended flat at 3,188.63 points.
Investors are hoping for more signs of economic recovery in China to temper worries about slowing global growth, after the IMF this week downgraded its 2019 world outlook for the third time.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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