Investing.com – Most Asian stock markets slipped on Thursday despite gains on Wall Street, ahead of a flurry of key economic data from the United States on unemployment claims, inflation and the country's current account.
South Korea's Kospi Composite Index shed 0.46%; the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.14%; and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.32%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.95% after a government survey showed that sentiment among Japanese manufacturers dropped unexpectedly in the first quarter of 2010.
But Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index bucked the trend, rising 0.2%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was due to publish key monthly CPI data and weekly data on initial jobless claims, as well as a report on the country's current account.
Also Thursday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia was to release a closely watched measure of manufacturers' views regarding the outlook for their sector.
The outlook for European markets, meanwhile, was also dim: France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a fall of 0.39%; Germany's DAX futures pointed to a drop of 0.32%; EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a slide of 0.49%; and Britain's FTSE 100 futures pointed to a fall of 0.33%.
The European Union was also set to publish data on the euro zone's current account later Thursday.
South Korea's Kospi Composite Index shed 0.46%; the Shanghai Composite Index dropped 0.14%; and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 0.32%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.95% after a government survey showed that sentiment among Japanese manufacturers dropped unexpectedly in the first quarter of 2010.
But Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index bucked the trend, rising 0.2%.
Later in the day, the U.S. was due to publish key monthly CPI data and weekly data on initial jobless claims, as well as a report on the country's current account.
Also Thursday, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia was to release a closely watched measure of manufacturers' views regarding the outlook for their sector.
The outlook for European markets, meanwhile, was also dim: France’s CAC 40 futures indicated a fall of 0.39%; Germany's DAX futures pointed to a drop of 0.32%; EURO STOXX 50 futures indicated a slide of 0.49%; and Britain's FTSE 100 futures pointed to a fall of 0.33%.
The European Union was also set to publish data on the euro zone's current account later Thursday.