All three main US stock indexes hit new record highs
US stock market advanced to new record highs on Thursday after Congress passed a budget resolution. The dollar resumed strengthening: the live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, rose 0.4% to 93.895. Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.5% to all-time high 22775.39. The S&P 500 gained 0.6% settling at fresh record high 2552.07 sixth session in a row led by technology and financial shares up about 1%. The Nasdaq index advanced 0.8% closing at new record high 6585.36.
European stocks rise on Catalan parliament suspension
European stocks advanced on Thursday after Madrid suspended a parliamentary session in Catalonia to prevent the region from declaring independence. Both euro and British pound fell against the dollar. The Stoxx Europe 600 closed 0.2% higher. Germany’s DAX 30 closed marginally lower at 12968.05. France’s CAC 40 rose 0.3% and UK’s FTSE 100 gained 0.5% to 7507.99. Indices opened mixed today.
Asian markets advance
Asian stock indices are higher today ahead of closely watched US nonfarm payroll data. Nikkei ended 0.3% higher at 20690.71 posting 1.6% gain over month as yen’s slide against the dollar resumed. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is 0.1% higher following a holiday on Thursday. Hang Seng Index is up 29% year to date. Australia’s ASX All Ordinaries is up 1% as the Australian dollar extended losses against the greenback.
Oil edges lower as tropical storm approaches Gulf of Mexico
Oil futures prices are inching lower today as storm Nate approaches US Gulf of Mexico triggering production and refinery closures. Prices rose yesterday supported by talk of possible OPEC extension of output cut deal to 2018 end as Saudi King Salman visited Moscow. Saudi Arabia made no firm pledge to extend a deal between OPEC, Russia and other producers but said it was “flexible” regarding suggestions to prolong the pact until the end of 2018. Brent for December settlement rose 2.2% to end the session at $57 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures exchange on Thursday.