by Chris Becker
A very mixed start to the trading week here in Asia with share markets all over the place given the strong lead on Wall Street combined with the inversion of strength in the USD. Gold is having another go at its previous record high, pushing ever higher as it tries to make its way to the $2000 level, currently at the $1974USD per ounce level with silver also re-engaging above the $24USD per ounce level:
In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite is having a solid up day, closing 1.7% higher at 3367 points, while in Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index continues its divergence to slip 0.8% further down to 24397 points. Japanese stocks have bounced back from their bad Friday session, with the Nikkei 225 lifting over 2% to 22195 points to a two month high, pulled along by a much higher USDJPY pair that is holding on just below the 106 handle after its big bounce:
The ASX200 is still wobbly, falling a few points to remain well below the 6000 point level, closing at 5926 points as a softer Australian dollar helps calm the losses from the expected fallout of the Victorian shutdown, with the Pacific Peso barely hovering above the 71 handle and on weekly support:
Eurostoxx and S&P futures are somewhat flat, with the latter down a few points to hold on to the solid gains from Friday night, still wanting to burst through resistance at 3270 points:
