Asian share markets are putting in very mixed sessions as the trading week continues with currency markets swinging back against USD. Wall Street is looking to open slightly higher despite the mixed mood with futures bunching up and ready to engage higher heading into the London session. The Australian dollar has been unable to buck the trend however and remains barely above the 66 cent level.
Oil prices are finally breaking out after the Ukrainian attack on Orcish refineries as Brent crude passes through weekly resistance at the $84USD per barrel level while gold is still taking a pause after its recent gains to hold here just below the $2160USD per ounce level:
Mainland and offshore Chinese share markets were both down with the Shanghai Composite off by nearly 0.2% while the Hang Seng has slumped nearly 1% lower, closing at 16917 points. Japanese stock markets are the odd ones out with the Nikkei 225 closing nearly 0.3% higher at 38807 points while the USDJPY pair is trying to breakout again after falling sharply last week, almost above the 148 level:
Australian stocks were unable to advance with the ASX200 closing over 0.2% lower at 7713 points while the Australian dollar is just clinging on above the 66 cent level:
S&P and Eurostoxx futures are ready to engage to the upside again as we go into the London session with the S&P500 four hourly chart showing price action wanting to advance further above the 5200 point level:
The economic calendar ramps up with US retail sales and weekly initial jobless claims.