US stocks rise after Fed minutes
US stocks closed at record highs on Wednesday after Fed minutes revealed some policy makers advocated cautious approach to further rate hikes. The dollar weakened: 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, retreated 0.3% to 92.955. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% settling at a record 2555.24. The Dow Jones added 0.2% to new record high 22872.89 led by gains in Johnson & Johnson and McDonalsd’s. Nasdaq composite gained 0.3% to fresh record high 6603.55.
Spanish stocks recover
European stocks ended little changed on Wednesday as concerns about Catalonia secession subsided. Both the euro and British Pound extended the winning streak against the dollar. The Stoxx Europe 600 index was flat. Germany’s DAX 30 gained 0.2% to 12970.68. France’s CAC 40 slipped less than 0.1% and UK’s FTSE 100 edged lower 0.1% to 7533.81. Indices opened mostly lower today.
Asian markets mixed
Asian stock indices aare mostly higher today. Nikkei rose 0.3% to 20952.00 as yen climbed against the dollar. Chinese stocks are mixed: the Shanghai Composite Index is 0.02% lower while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is up 0.3%. Australia’s All Ordinaries Index added 0.3% despite stronger Australian dollar against the greenback.
Oil lower ahead of US inventory data
Oil futures prices are falling today as the American Petroleum Institute industry group reported late Wednesday US crude stocks rose by 3.1 million barrels to 468.5 million barrels last week. Prices ended higher yesterday after OPEC raised its forecast for growth in global demand for oil for this year and 2018 by around 30 thousand barrels a day from its previous demand increase forecast. December Brent crude rose 0.6% to $56.940 a barrel on Wednesday on ICE Futures exchange in London.