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Equities gain on the week but investors reassess interest rate outlook after unexpected labour market acceleration
Emerging market stocks fell on Friday, and were on track for their first weekly fall since the start of the year, driven by weakness in Chinese stocks after the world's second largest economy came back from its Lunar New Year break. The MSCI's index for emerging market stocks slipped 0.5% by 0905 GMT and was set to snap its five-week winning streak after its January rally, supported by hopes of recovery in China as it lifted its strict COVID curbs.
Asian shares were trading mixed Friday ahead of a closely watched U.S. jobs report that may affect global interest rates.
By Scott Kanowsky
Japan's Nikkei index on Friday rose to its highest level in more than a month, underpinned by the Nasdaq's strong performance overnight, with Sony Group and others leading the charge after issuing strong outlooks. "Companies' outlook was clearly reflected in their share prices, like Sony," said Takamasa Ikeda, senior portfolio manager at GCI Asset Management.
A gauge of global stocks dropped more than 1%, while U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar rose on Friday after a shockingly strong U.S. jobs report renewed concerns the Federal Reserve may remain aggressive in its path of interest rate hikes as it tries to tame inflation. Average hourly earnings increased 0.3%, as expected, down from the 0.4% in the prior month, while the unemployment rate of 3.4% was the lowest since 1969. Equities have rallied to start the year on expectations the Fed may be forced to pause or even pivot from its rate hikes in the back half of the year, growing more confident after comments from Fed Chair Powell on Wednesday that acknowledged the "disinflationary" process may have begun.
By Ambar Warrick
The Bank of England is expected to raise interest rates for the tenth consecutive meeting as it battles to bring down soaring inflation.
Bank of England ups rates by 50 basis points to highest level since 2008.
Asian stocks jumped on Thursday while the dollar eased after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said a "disinflationary" process was underway, boosting risk appetite and hope that the U.S. central bank will soon end its monetary tightening streak. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was 0.84% higher, while Japan's Nikkei rose 0.37%. The U.S. central bank announced an expected 25 basis points interest rate increase after a year of larger hikes and said it had turned a key corner in the fight against a high inflation rate.