In a day of waiting for the US employment data, whose release is delayed due to the Washington shutdown, Asian stock markets contracted slightly, moving away from the record levels of the last five months reached in recent days. Analysts were also waiting for data on Chinese real estate and the results of some companies such as, for example, Nidec and Wipro. On the commodities front, palladium and nickel continued their advance, reaching two-month highs, while crude oil plunged for the second day in a row due to the accumulation of reserves in the United States. On the currency front, the Malaysian ringgit reached a monthly low against the dollar, while the Thai baht lost 0,2 percent.
The MSCI Asia Pacific index fell 0,1% as of 9:56 am in Tokyo, falling from its highest close since the 21st last. Japan's Topix fell less than 0,1% after gaining 0,6% a day earlier. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rallied 0,3% in Sydney to its best close since June 2008, while South Korea's Kospi lost 0,3%.
“It's a good time for equities” comments from Sydney Sean Fenton, fund manager of Tribeca Investment Partners “because expectations of a decrease in support from central banks have been moved to next year. Growth in the US is constant even if it is not spectacular and the support of the Fed continues in very easy monetary conditions".
