All three major US stock indices slide in thin trading.
US stocks ended lower on Thursday in thin trading with investors refraining from big bets as they awaited the start of the central bankers’ symposium at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The dollar inched higher: 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 0.1% to 93.276. Dow average slipped 0.1% closing at 21783.40 with shares of Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) leading the decliners and Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) shares the largest gainer. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% settling at 2438.97 led by consumer staples stocks, down 1.3%. The Nasdaq index ended off 0.1% at 6271.33.
European stocks advance
European stocks edged higher on Thursday. Euro extended losses against the dollar while British Pound inched higher. The Stoxx Europe 600 closed 0.2% higher. Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.1% closing at 12180.83. France’s CAC 40 lost 0.04% and UK’s FTSE 100rose 0.3% at 7407.06. Indices opened 0.1% - 0.2% higher today.
Asian markets higher
Asian stock indices are higher today. Nikkei gained 0.5% to 19452.61 supported by inflation report Japanese core consumer prices rose for the seventh straight month in July. Positive inflation data lifted yen against the dollar. Chinese stocks are higher: the Shanghai Composite Index is up 1.8% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is 1.1% higher. Australia’s All Ordinaries Index is 0.03% higher as the Australian dollar resumed the rise against the greenback.
Oil advances as US prepares for hurricane approach
Oil futures prices are advancing as production in US Gulf of Mexico area is being shut down after hurricane Harvey intensified approaching the mainland. About 10% of offshore US Gulf of Mexico crude output capacity has been halted. Brent for October settlement fell 1 % to end the session at $52.04 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures exchange on Wednesday.