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SINGAPORE – Asia-Pacific stocks rose in trading on Thursday morning, with several markets in the region set to close early for Christmas Eve. Investors have also watched the progress of negotiations on Brexit trade deals.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index gained 0.87% while the Topix index gained 0.96%. South Korea’s Kospi also rose 0.76%.
Meanwhile, stocks in Australia rallied, with the S & P / ASX 200 up 0.55%.
The largest MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside of Japan traded 0.22% higher.
Markets in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore are expected to close early Thursday for Christmas Eve.
Meanwhile, during negotiations over Brexit trade deals between Britain and the European Union, bond yields and the pound jumped on Wednesday following reports that a deal was near. Reuters reported that a trade deal was “imminent”, citing a senior European diplomat, although CNBC could not independently verify it.
The British pound was at $ 1.3522, after falling to around $ 1.32 earlier in the week.
Overnight on Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose less than 0.1% to close at 3,690.01 as the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended its trading day 114.32 points higher at 30,129 , 83. The Nasdaq Composite closed 0.3% lower at 12,771.11.
The move came after US President Donald Trump criticized the new US Covid-19 relief plan, an act that could delay the deployment of funds to struggling Americans. Trump on Wednesday also vetoed the sweeping defense bill that authorizes a total of $ 740 billion in spending and outlines Pentagon policy.
Currencies
The US dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 90.413 after levels above 90.8 seen earlier in the week.
The Japanese yen traded at 103.56 per dollar, below 103.2 against the greenback seen last week. The Aussie changed hands at $ 0.7588, following lows below $ 0.75 seen earlier in the trading week.
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