Asian stock markets are having further mixed sessions as local stocks lift on the back of a stronger Wall Street result overnight while Chinese shares are cautious in response to the recent GDP print and wet lettuce stimulus response. The USD is firming slightly against most of the majors with the Kiwi and Aussie dollars dropping on the latest NZ inflation print which came in hotter than expected, pushing for a further rate rise from RBNZ soon.
Oil prices are holding on to their overnight gains with Brent crude just above the $79USD per barrel level while gold is in a similar pickle, pushing above the $1970USD per ounce level:
Mainland Chinese share markets are still in deflation mode with the Shanghai Composite about to finish some 0.3% lower at 3189 points while in Hong Kong the Hang Seng Index is down more than 1% currently, add to its previous losses to be well below the 19000 point level.
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