Tokyo (AFP) – Gold hit a record high Tuesday as a weaker dollar and expectations of a US interest rate cut made the safe haven an attractive investment. Stocks, meanwhile, were mixed as investors awaited fresh direction from Wall Street after it was closed on Monday for Labor Day.
Gold reached $3,501.59 an ounce during early trading in Asia, soaring past its previous record of $3,500.10 in April. “The rally reflects a softer dollar but also strong central-bank and institutional demand as investors rotate out of US Treasuries,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya at Swissquote Bank.
“The share of US Treasuries held by foreign central banks has been declining for over a decade, but that shift into gold accelerated this year amid US debt concerns, ratings downgrades, trade tensions, and geopolitical risks,” she said.
On equity markets, Tokyo, Seoul, and Jakarta were all up, while Hong Kong and Shanghai turned negative after early gains. On the Hang Seng, Alibaba was down slightly a day after rocketing almost 20 percent following bumper results and a surge in AI revenue. “While US giants face mounting questions around AI monetization and stretched valuations, Chinese firms are showing tangible earnings lift from AI and cloud,” Charu Chanana at Saxo Markets told AFP.
The Japanese corporate world was, meanwhile, rocked by the shock resignation of the CEO of drinks giant Suntory over an illegal drugs probe. Oil prices moved higher ahead of a weekend OPEC+ meeting to decide on output for October. The cartel is expected to keep supplies unchanged.
– Key figures at around 0700 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 42,310.49 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.3 percent at 25,535.03
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,849.79
New York – Dow: Closed Monday for a public holiday
Euro/dollar: UP at 1.1704 from $1.1705 on Monday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at 1.3526 from $1.3547
Dollar/yen: UP at 148.00 from 147.27 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.53 pence from 86.57 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.6 percent at $68.55 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.6 percent at $65.04 per barrel
© 2024 AFP
