On Monday morning (16 September, 9:35 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), indices in Asia Pacific traded mixed as investors analyzed disappointing economic reports from China. Stock markets in mainland China and South Korea remained closed due to the Mid-Autumn festival, while Japan’s markets were shut in observance of Respect for the Aged Day.
Traders are also anticipating the upcoming policy meeting of the Federal Reserve scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, with the prediction that the central bank officials will enact their initial reduction in interest rates since 2020.
Australia’s ASX 200 rose by 0.41% to 8,133.5. As for stocks in China, Hong Kong’s HSI slid by 0.53% to 17,277.28, and Shenzhen’s SZI contracted by 0.88% to 7,983.55.
Meanwhile, the US stock markets edged up on Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) grew by 0.72% to 41,393.78. NASDAQ surged by 0.65% to 17,683.98, and S&P 500 increased by 0.54% to 5,626.02. VIX slumped by 2.99% to 16.56.
As for commodities, oil prices settled lower on Friday as crude production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico recommenced after Hurricane Francine, alongside an upward trend in the weekly U.S. rig count. Brent futures declined 36 cents or 0.5% to $71.61 a barrel, and the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 32 cents or 0.5% to $68.65 per barrel.
This morning, Brent futures gained 25 cents or 0.35% to $71.86 a barrel, and the WTI rose 33 cents or 0.48% to $68.98 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures climbed by 0.07% to $2,612.4 per Troy ounce.
