Japan +0.71%. Japan January Trade Balance -3,496.6bn yen (vs. expected -3976.7bn yen, prior -1,448.5bnB).
Japan December Core Machinery Orders +1.6% m/m (vs. expected 2.8%, prior -8.3%).
China -0.44%. China January House Prices flat at 0.0% m/m (prior -0.25%).
Hong Kong +1.03%.
Australia +0.79%. Australia January Employment change -11.5K (expected +20K) Unemployment rate 3.7% (3.5%).
Australian Consumer Inflation Expectations survey for February 5.1% (prior 5.6%).
India +0.50%.
Overnight on Wall Street, the major stock indexes close to end the day higher following a surprise beat on January’s retail sales report. The Dow Jones Industrial Average led gains and gained more than 250 points from its intraday low to close at 34,128.05, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed 0.28% and 0.92% higher respectively.
Investors digested the latest data on retail sales, which came in stronger than expected in January. The numbers showed a 3% increase for the month, compared to a 1.1% dip in December. The figure came in above the 1.7% advance that economists were predicting.
Oil prices angled upward in early Asian trade on Thursday as the market shrugged off a giant U.S. crude inventory build and the International Energy Agency boosted its demand outlook.
Brent crude futures rose 26 cents to $85.64 per barrel by 0131 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 34 cents to $78.93.
Gold prices regained some ground on Thursday as the U.S. dollar pulled back, although prospects of more interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve kept investors on edge.
Spot gold was up 0.3% at $1,840.94 per ounce, as of 0333 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since early January on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,850.20.
Gold prices regained some ground on Thursday as the U.S. dollar pulled back, although prospects of more interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve kept investors on edge.
Spot gold was up 0.3% at $1,840.94 per ounce, as of 0333 GMT, after hitting its lowest level since early January on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,850.20.
US futures mostly higher. Dow Jones -0.04%; S&P 500 +0.08%; Nasdaq +0.21%.