Japan +0.15%. Ueda is expected to maintain the ultra-loose monetary policy of his predecessor Haruhiko Kuroda for the time being, but expectations are that he will chart a path out of this policy in the future, according to media reports.
China +0.62%. China data: January To industrial profit for March -21.4% y/y (previously -22.9%).
Hong Kong +0.25%.
Australia -0.37%. Australia data: export prices +1.6% qoq (-2.4% expected), import prices -4.2% qoq (+0.7).
Australian inflation data indicates that the Reserve Bank of Australia will not raise its cash rate next week.
Australia Inflation fell significantly in the first quarter, from 7.8% to 7.0%.
India +0.19%.
Overnight in the United States, the major US stock indices end the session with mixed results as banking concerns overshadowed the profits of major technology companies on Wall Street. The NASDAQ closes higher thanks to the likes of Microsoft and Nvidia. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell -228.98 points, or -0.68%, at 33301.86. The Standard & Poor’s Index fell -15.62 points, or -0.38%, to 4,056.00 points. The Nasdaq was up 55.18 points, or 0.47%, at 11,854.34.
New Zealand data: Business Confidence for April -43.8% (-43.4% prior).
Oil prices rose on Thursday, paring earlier losses fueled by US recession fears and increased Russian oil exports offsetting the impact of OPEC production cuts.
Brent crude It was trading at $78.04 a barrel, up 35 cents, or 0.45%, at 0039 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude recorded $74.51 a barrel, adding 21 cents, or 0.28%.
Gold prices rose on Thursday as a weaker dollar revived some of the bullion’s appeal to overseas buyers, while investors braced for a batch of US economic data ahead of next week’s important federal policy meeting.
spot gold It rose 0.48% to $1,999.01 an ounce by 448 GMT, while US gold futures rose 0.6% to $2,008.10.
Elsewhere, a silver spot It rose 0.7 percent to $25.05 an ounce, platinum rose 0.3 percent to $1,093.36, and palladium 0.5% gain, to $1,519.47.
US futures are higher. Dow Jones +0.18%; Standard & Poor’s 500 +0.37%; Nasdaq +0.77%.