Nikada
Japan (NKY:IND) +0.86%. Japan data – December Tertiary Industry Activity Index +0.7% m/m (exp. +0.2%, prior -1.4%).
The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 0.86% to close at 38,487 on Friday, hitting its highest levels in 34 years and closing in on its all-time record highs reached during Japan’s economic bubble in the late 1980s.
China (SHCOMP) markets closed. Markets in key trade partner China are closed this week for the Spring Festival.
Hong Kong (HSI) +2.43%.
India (SENSEX) +0.52%.
Australia (AS51) +0.69%.
In the U.S. on Thursday, all three major indexes ended higher as traders assessed another slew of corporate results and a larger-than-expected fall in US retail sales revived the chance of a June rate cut from the Fed.
U.S. stock futures held steady on Friday after the major averages advanced for the second straight day in the previous session: Dow -0.13%; S&P 500 +0.05%; Nasdaq +0.34%.
Traders also look ahead to US producer inflation data on Friday.
Currencies: (JPY:USD), (CNY:USD), (AUD:USD), (INR:USD), (HKD:USD), (NZD:USD).
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Image and article originally from seekingalpha.com. Read the original article here.