This time the Japanese stock exchange does not owe its good performance (+0,8% for the Nikkei near the end of the session) to the yen, as the Rising Sun currency is roughly at yesterday's levels (117,8 against the dollar). The rise in stock indexes in Tokyo is due to a series of good news on the real economy (see the launch below). Outside Japan, Asian markets are also positive, albeit only slightly (the MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan index gains 0,1%).
Of course, the positive closure on Wall Street also helped, where, apart from good corporate news (Apple and Boeing), new unemployment benefits fell to their lowest level since April 2000. In Japan, monetary policy continues on its course already fixed, without further easing: we therefore have a varied situation in the postures of the central banks. The Fed looks to a forthcoming rate hike, Japan is at a standstill, while other central banks, from India to Canada, Singapore, the ECB have taken expansionary measures: lower rates and/or QE. The Australian Reserve Bank could also lower the key rate, and the suspicion was enough to bring the Australian dollar to the level of .78 against the US dollar. The euro strengthened to 1,134 against the dollar. Crude oil is stable at the level of 44,7 $/b (WTI) while gold has dropped to 1261 $/ounce.
