Asian stock markets are generally lower given the tensions on the Korean peninsula while the Australian dollar fell sharply on the release of the weaker than expected national account figures. Other undollars are doing poorly against USD with Yen reverting while Euro is still dicing with the 1.05 handle again.
Oil futures are trying to hold on to their overnight gains as traders await the next OPEC meeting with Brent crude just below the $74USD per barrel level while gold is holding steady at the $2640USD per ounce level:
Mainland Chinese share markets are struggling to make ground with the Shanghai Composite uneasy at the 3360 point level while the Hang Seng Index is up just 0.2%, currently at 19762 points. Japanese stock markets are also uneasy going into the close with the Nikkei 225 just 0.1% higher at 39241 points while the USDPY pair has bounced back slightly after recently hitting a new monthly low as it gets back above the 150 handle:
Australian stocks had the worst session however with the ASX200 looking to close 0.4% lower at 8461 points while the Australian dollar has suffered a big drop lower on the national accounts data with a fall down to the 64 handle:
S&P and Eurostoxx futures are holding on to their overnight gains as we head into the London session with the S&P500 four hourly chart showing momentum still positive and quite overbought as price action remains on point to extend above the 6000 point area:
The economic calendar includes with the US ISM Services print then a speech from Fed Chair Powell.