• Canada's main stock index fell on Tuesday to its lowest close in nearly seven months, as precious metal miners and technology shares led a retreat in lighter than usual trading volumes with U.S. markets closed for Independence Day.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index, which had been closed for a public holiday on Monday, ended down 51.58 points, or 0.34 percent, at 15,130.61, its lowest since Dec. 6. And volumes were the lightest since May 29.
The index seemed to be unconcerned with potential global turmoil following reports that North Korea fired yet another ballistic missile toward Japan.
• North Korean state media said it was the country’s first successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile, flying 933 kilometres for 39 minutes before falling into the sea.
• It was quiet south of the border, with U.S. indexes and commodity markets both shut down for the July 4 holiday.
• Asian share markets got off to a subdued start on Wednesday as simmering tensions on the Korean peninsula supported safe-harbors including the yen and gold.
A holiday in the United States and a dearth of major data kept activity muted across Asia, though minutes of the Federal Reserve's last meeting due later in the day could provide some impetus.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was off 0.01 percent, having shed 0.6 percent on Tuesday when North Korea fired a missile into Japanese waters.
Japan's Nikkei eased 0.1 percent, as did South Korea's main index.
• North Korea said it had conducted a test of a newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile that can carry a large and heavy nuclear warhead.
• South Korean and U.S. troops fired missiles into the waters off South Korea to show their deep strike precision capability.
• U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for global action against Pyongyang's nuclear threat, though it was not entirely clear what new steps could be taken.
Reference: Reuters
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