· Asia shares flat, holidays help blunt U.S. tech retreat
Asian shares risked falling for a fourth straight session on Wednesday as sentiment took a knock from a selloff in large cap Wall Street tech darlings, combined with talk of rising U.S. interest rates.
Holidays in Japan, China and South Korea limited the early reaction, leaving MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) dithering either side of flat.
Australian shares rose on Wednesday while some of the other major Asia-Pacific markets are closed for the day.
The benchmark ASX 200 traded 0.7% higher at 7,117.60, with the heavily-weighted financials subindex up 0.84%. Energy and materials were up 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively as major miners and oil stocks mostly advanced.
In Taiwan, the Taiex was up 0.36% while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.09%.
Singapore’s Straits Times index declined 0.82%. The city-state said Tuesday that it will tighten social restrictions after detecting within its borders the Covid-19 variant that experts say is partially responsible for India’s staggering rise in cases.
· Hong Kong stocks inch up as financial, energy shares firm ahead of China's reopening
Hong Kong shares inched up on Wednesday as the energy sector rose on higher oil prices due to a steep drop in U.S. crude stocks, while bargain hunting boosted financial firms ahead of the reopening of China markets.
By the midday break, the Hang Seng Index was up 2.66 points, or 0.01%, at 28,559.80, on course to gain for a second session. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 0.17% to 10,784.15.
· European markets rebound as investors monitor earnings, data
European stocks traded higher Wednesday morning as investors digest a fresh round of corporate earnings and key economic data out of the euro zone.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.9% at the start of trading, with basic resources adding 1.9% to lead gains as all sectors except autos entered positive territory.
Shares in Asia-Pacific were mostly subdued on Wednesday after a stateside sell-off in tech stocks, with major markets in China and Japan still closed for holidays. U.S. futures are indicating a cautiously positive open on Wall Street later in the day.
· FTSE 100 rises on boost from miners, banks; Croda shines
London’s FTSE 100 climbed on Wednesday, supported by gains in heavyweight mining and banking stocks, while shares of Croda International jumped to the top of the index on announcing business review assessment.
The blue-chip index rose 0.6%, with the speciality chemicals group’s shares gaining 2.2% after it announced a strategic review of two businesses that cater more to industrial customers as it shifts focus to consumer-care and life-sciences sectors.
Miners provided the biggest boost to the index tracking higher metal prices. Anglo American gained 2.3%, after Citigroup raised its price target.
Reference : CNBC, Reuters
Thai
Eng