Japan +0.49%. Japan PPI Services for February +1.8% (expected +1.7%, prior +1.6%).
Porcelain -0.62% China January – February Industrial profits -22.9% YoY (vs. previous -4.0%).
Hong Kong -0.58%. Hong Kong’s inflation rate slowed to 1.7% in February on a year-on-year basis, down from 2.4% in January and at its slowest pace since May 2022.
Australia +0.10%.
India +0.32%.
In the US on Friday, the major US stock indices are closing higher for the day and for the week. For the business year, the Dow Industrial Average is still down for the year, but the S&P and NASDAQ Index are positive. The Dow industrial average rose 132.28 points or 0.41% to 32237.54. At intraday lows, the index was down -300.08 points. The S&P Index rose 22.27 points, or 0.56%, to 3,970.98. At intraday lows, the S&P index was down -39.55 points. The NASDAQ index rose 36.57 points, or 0.31%, to 11,823.97. The intraday lows reached -116.73 points.
Oil prices were little changed and are racking up losses of nearly 10% on the month as global growth concerns undermine commodities across the board.
Brent fell 1 cent to $74.98 a barrel, while US crude added 2 cents to $69.28 a barrel.
While US and European stock futures rose on hopes policymakers were working to limit stress on the global banking system, even as the cost of insuring against default approached dangerous levels.
US futures rise. dow jones +0.39%; S&P 500 +0.50%; nasdaq +0.46%.
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