European markets experienced marginal gains in Friday’s trading session, with many Asian markets closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Tokyo’s market closed up less than 0.1%, reaching a 34-year high at 36,897.42. The Bank of Japan’s commitment to maintaining a lax monetary policy, even if it raises its benchmark rate above zero, contributed to the positive sentiment.
Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 remained relatively unchanged, standing at 16,973.32 and 7,665.13, respectively. Britain’s FTSE 100 showed a slight increase of 0.1%, reaching 7,605.15. Meanwhile, futures for the S&P 500 gained less than 0.1%, and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures remained unchanged.
Uber marked a historic moment as it reported its first annual profit since going public. However, in mainland China, markets were closed, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng experienced a 0.8% decline in the half-day session, closing at 15,746.58. The Lunar New Year break will continue to affect Chinese markets into the following week.
China’s securities regulator took measures to stabilize financial markets, announcing penalties against individuals involved in insider trading and other offenses at one of the country’s major brokerages.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 showed a modest increase of nearly 0.1%, reaching 7,644.80, while Thailand’s SET edged 0.2% higher.
On the previous day, U.S. stocks saw marginal gains, with the S&P 500 and Dow reaching new highs. Positive signs from the job market, including fewer-than-expected unemployment benefit claims, contributed to the market’s optimistic outlook. Investors now view positive economic news as a driver for stock profits, signaling a shift in sentiment.
In commodities trading, benchmark U.S. crude added 16 cents to reach $76.38 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international standard, decreased by 4 cents to $81.59 a barrel.
Currency markets saw the U.S. dollar inching up to 149.39 Japanese yen from 149.32 yen, and the euro declined to $1.0767 from $1.0780.
