Japan stocks set for opening losses as oil prices jump again

Overnight stateside, the S&P 500 dropped 1.23% to 4,456.24 while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 448.96 points to 34,358.50. The Nasdaq Composite declined 1.32% to 13,922.60.

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was at 98.622 — still above 98.4 level that is was below earlier this week.

The Japanese yen traded at 121.10 per dollar, weaker as compared with levels below 119.7 seen against the greenback earlier in the week. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7495, having risen from below $0.74 earlier this week.