On Monday (5 October, 9:17 AM, GMT+7, Bangkok time), major indices in the Asia-Pacific delivered mixed performance as improved oil supply from the Middle East lifted several sectors, while persistently high U.S. Treasury yields continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
Geopolitical concerns remained elevated, with ongoing friction between the United States and Iran. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the nation’s conditions regarding the war with the U.S. were met. Additionally, AP News reported that the U.S. Air Force removed its B-1 bombers from a southern UK air base previously used in operations targeting Iran, following a probe that uncovered a planned terror attack.
Wall Street saw positive movements on Friday despite significant volatility in the bond market. Treasury yields climbed, but a weaker-than-expected employment report eased expectations for a Federal Reserve rate increase in October. The report showed U.S. job growth in September fell short of forecasts and wage growth moderated, leading financial markets to see the likelihood of a rate hike at less than 25%.
With few major economic releases scheduled in the coming days, investors are expected to track further geopolitical developments and market trends ahead of the upcoming earnings season. The Fed’s September meeting minutes, due on Wednesday, will also be closely monitored for policy signals.
Notably, markets in mainland China and South Korea will be closed for holidays.
Japan’s NIKKEI soared by 2.43% to 69,970.93. Australia’s ASX 200 rose by 0.37% to 8,714.40, and Hong Kong’s HSI declined by 0.31% to 23,897.62.
The U.S. stock markets edged up on Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) grew by 0.49% to 51,176.96. NASDAQ surged 1.19% to 27,190.86, and S&P 500 gained 0.73% to 7,722.72. VIX slumped by 6.59% to 15.31.
As for commodities, oil prices settled lower on Friday following the decision by European officials to respond to President Donald Trump’s appeal to release diesel reserves. This move aims to decrease fuel costs and minimize reliance on fuel imports from the United States. Brent crude slipped 6 cents to $102.25 per barrel, reflecting a 0.06% decrease, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dropped $1.76, or 1.90%, to finish at $91.11 per barrel.
This morning, Brent futures lost 88 cents, or 0.86%, to $101.37 per barrel, and WTI futures plummeted $1.16, or 1.27%, to $89.95 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold futures increased by 0.63% to $4,188.40 per Troy ounce.
