Asian stock markets are generally lower given the wavering confidence on global stocks with Chinese bourses closed due to NY holidays. The USD remains fixed a little against the major currency pairs in the wake of the higher than expected US initial jobless claims overnight. Bitcoin continues to soar ever upward, spinning spinning towards freedom, almost reaching the $50K level but still scratching along above $47K this afternoon:
The Shanghai Composite and Hang Seng Index are closed for Chinese NY holidays while Japanese markets reopened with the Nikkei 225 sliding back 0.3% to 29480 points as the USDJPY pair is trying vainly to get out of its funk, after bottoming out all week, and still looking very weak:
The ASX200 moved out of its trading range and slumped over 0.7% to finish out the week just above the 6800 point level with the Australian dollar coming back a little this afternoon after surging up through the previous intraweek high at the 77.40 level with the four hourly chart pushing a bearish megaphone pattern:
Eurostoxx and S&P futures are tracking lower going into the London session, with the four hourly chart of the S&P500 showing more hesitation building here after failing to make any move above the 3900 point level stick as momentum begins to taper and this reflation rally runs out of puff:
The economic calendar finishes the week with a whimper given the long weekend in the US, with only Treasury bond auctions on the agenda.
Have a great weekend and stay safe – especially you Victorians!