· Asia-Pacific markets mixed as oil stocks rise; Australia central bank keeps cash rate unchanged
Shares in major Asia-Pacific markets struggled for direction on Tuesday as investors reacted to the Australian central bank’s interest rate decision.
Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.73% lower at 7,261.80.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose about 0.1%.
· Nikkei gains as SoftBank, Uniqlo owner rebound
Japan’s Nikkei ended modestly higher on Tuesday as shares of SoftBank Group and Fast Retailing rebounded, although worries over a potential spike in coronavirus infections during the Olympics limited gains.
The Nikkei share average closed 0.16% higher at 28,643.21, giving up earlier gains of 0.5%. The broader Topix gained 0.28% at 1,954.50.
Tech-startup investor SoftBank Group rose 1% and Uniqlo clothing chain operator Fast Retailing added 0.45%, while air-conditioner maker Daikin Industries rallied 2.6%, following sharp declines on Monday.
· Samsung Electronics Q2 profit likely up 38% on strong chip prices
· China stocks fall on healthcare slump; Hong Kong down
China stocks dropped on Tuesday, with the blue-chip index hitting a near two-month low, as healthcare firms tumbled on worries over lofty valuations.
The CSI300 index fell 0.6% to 5,055.65 at the end of the morning session, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.5% to 3,515.64.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index dropped 0.6% to 27,980.23, while the Hong Kong China Enterprises Index lost 0.4%, to 10,232.91.
· Indian shares rise as auto, airline stocks rally; COVID-19 cases drop
Indian shares gained on Tuesday, as airlines and auto stocks helped outweigh losses in Reliance Industries, with investors taking hope from a drop in COVID-19 infections in the country.
By 0520 GMT, the blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index was up 0.22% at 15,868.80 and the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.22% to 52,952.10.
Airline stocks jumped after the country's aviation ministry here allowed increasing capacity on domestic flights to 65% till July-end from 50% earlier.
· Philippine peso hits 11-month low, stocks drop on high inflation, low growth woes
Philippine stocks and the peso declined on Tuesday as investors fretted over a worrying combination of accelerating inflation and an economic recession. The peso fell 0.3% to 49.48, while stocks dropped 0.4% as data showed the consumer price index (CPI) for May rose 4.1% and the six-month average of 4.4% came in above
the central bank's target band of 2%-4% for 2021.
· European shares muted after three days of gains
European stocks were off to a muted start on Tuesday following three sessions of gains as gloomy trading in Asia and an unexpected drop in German industrial orders offset a jump in commodity stocks.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.1% by 0717 GMT, with automakers sliding the most.
Data showed orders for German-made goods posted their sharpest slump in May since the first lockdown in 2020, hurt by weaker demand from countries outside the euro zone.
· FTSE 100 inches higher on energy boost; Ocado top gainer
London’s FTSE 100 inched higher on Tuesday, led by heavyweight energy and mining stocks, while Ocado was the top gainer on the blue-chip index after signing a new agreement for its software business.
British online grocer and technology group Ocado jumped 1.1% after it said it had signed a new agreement with Auchan Retail to use its technology to develop Alcampo’s online business in Spain.
The FTSE 100 rose 0.1% with energy majors BP and Royal Dutch Shell along with miner BHP Group being the top boosts.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters
Thai
Eng