Global Markets: Asia stocks rise as U.S. earnings prop up Wall Street, dollar solid

Reuters  |  TOKYO 

By Shinichi Saoshiro

MSCI's broadest index of shares outside bounced back from three-week lows plumbed the previous day and gained 0.35 percent.

South Korea's climbed 1.2 percent, with tech shares buoyed after posted a record quarterly profit.

Australian stocks edged up 0.2 percent and Japan's Nikkei rose 0.7 percent.

bucked the trend and slipped 0.3 percent.

The Dow rose 0.25 percent overnight, ending a five-day losing streak, and the gained 0.18 percent on optimism over a spate of upbeat earnings that managed to offset jitters over rising U.S. bond yields.

The spike to a four-year peak above 3 percent in the 10-year yield this week - a benchmark for global borrowing costs - had weighed on stocks amid concerns rising corporate borrowing costs could dampen profits.

Nonetheless, the broader equity market reaction to the latest jump in U.S. yields appeared to be more measured compared to February, when a similar spike in rates sent stocks tumbling.

"The equity markets slid sharply in January and March in response to the rise in Treasury yields. But the Federal Reserve signalled in March that its rate hikes would be gradual," said Masahiro Ichikawa, at in

"Expectations towards U.S. rate hikes being gradual are enabling equities to take the current yield rise in stride."

The 10-year Treasury note yield rose to 3.035 percent overnight, its highest since January 2014. The yield has climbed on expectations of a steady U.S. economic expansion, accelerating inflation and concerns about increasing debt supply.

Higher U.S. yields have dragged up their European counterparts, with 10-year German bund reaching a six-week high of 0.655 percent and its British Gilt equivalent setting a nine-week peak of 1.57 percent this week.

The dollar has drawn support from the surge in U.S. yields, with its index against a basket of six major currencies last steady at 91.163 and within reach of 91.261, its highest since Jan. 12 scaled on Wednesday.

The greenback has risen without pause through much of the past week as concerns over a U.S.-trade dispute receded, allowing the market to turn its attention back to dollar-supportive fundamentals.

The euro fetched $1.2176 after sliding to a 1-1/2-month low of $1.2160.

Immediate focus was on the European Central Bank's monetary policy decision at 1145 GMT. The ECB is widely expected to keep policy unchanged but its comments will be followed closely for further guidance on the timing of its scaling-back of massive monetary stimulus.

The dollar was little changed at 109.360 yen after going as high as 109.490, its strongest since Feb. 8.

were up amid the prospect of fresh sanctions on and concerns about output from

Brent crude added 0.6 percent to $74.43 a barrel and U.S. crude futures were 0.5 percent higher at $68.38 a barrel.

Higher U.S. yields and a stronger dollar weighed on non-yielding gold, with spot prices slipping to a five-week low of $1,318.51 an ounce overnight.

(Reporting by Shinichi Saoshiro; Editing by and Sam Holmes)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Thu, April 26 2018. 08:50 IST