Asian stocks advanced Friday while European markets opened lower as investors waited for American jobs data and details of U.S.-Chinese trade talks.
Benchmarks in London and Frankfurt retreated while Shanghai and Tokyo gained.
Monthly U.S. employment numbers are expected to be a factor in the Federal Reserve’s decision this month on interest rates. Markets expect a solid 165,000 increase in non-farm payrolls.
The central bank has said it is prepared to cut rates to shore up the U.S. economy if trade disputes crimp growth.
Investors expect central banks to adopt “more dovish stances,” said IHS Markit in a report. “All incoming data will be scrutinized for last-minute policy signals.”
In early trading, London’s FTSE 100 declined 0.2% to 7,585.84, France’s CAC 40 was 0.2% lower at 5,611.73 and Frankfurt’s DAX lost 12 points to 12,619.70.
On Wall Street, futures for the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Dow Jones Industrial Average were off 0.1%. U.S. markets were closed Thursday for the Independence Day holiday.
In Asia, the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.2% to 3,011.06 and Toyko’s Nikkei 225 added 0.2% to 21,746.38. Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 rose 0.5% to 6,751.30 and Seoul’s Kospi was 0.1% higher at 2,110.59. Taiwan and New Zealand also advanced.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gave up 0.1% to 28,774.83 and Southeast Asian markets also retreated.
Last weekend’s agreement by U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping to refrain from new tariffs pending a new round of negotiations has relieved some pressure on markets.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters Thursday he expected to announce new negotiations soon. Still, forecasters warn the truce is fragile because the two sides still face the disputes that caused talks to break down in May.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude lost 87 cents to $56.47 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract gained $1.09 on Thursday to close at $57.34. Brent crude, used to price international oils, shed 13 cents to $63.17 per barrel in London. It lost 52 cents the previous session to $63.30.
CURRENCY: The dollar advanced to 108.00 yen from Thursday’s 107.83 yen. The euro declined to $1.1265 from $1.1286.