Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel raised investor anxiety levels but hints of rate cuts and rising energy prices helped
Oil prices surged after the Hamas invasion from Gaza, piling pressure on equities, while China’s economic struggles continued to have an impact too
Investor eyes were on the latest US jobs data due out later in the day and which way the Fed will jump in response
Softer US jobs numbers took the pressure off Treasury yields, giving investors across the region a breather and a chance to bargain hunt
US yields soared to 16-year highs, drawing in cash from stocks and into dollars across the region
Investors across the region were preoccupied with the likelihood of persistently high borrowing rates for some time to come
Tokyo’s benchmark surged in early trading before later slumping on a thin trading day with Hong Kong, Seoul and Mumbai all closed for a holiday
There was an air of caution on trading floors at the end of the week with Treasury yields, high interest rates and China’s woes all weighing on sentiment
Investors were downbeat as the odds lengthened on central banks easing back on interest rates any time soon while China’s property sector continued to struggle
Investors were buoyed by news of a possible turnaround on the horizon for China’s manufacturers but forecasts of higher interest rates for longer limited advances
China’s ailing real estate sector and fading hopes of central banks easing back on their rate hike campaigns any time soon weighed on sentiment
China’s economic woes, particularly its ailing property sector, and the gloomy prospect of high interest rates for some time to come weighed on investors