SINGAPORE — Asia-Pacific shares are set to open mixed Friday as investors assess the Russia-Ukraine conflict following a massive comeback on Wall Street overnight.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 futures in Osaka were up 1.27% at 26,260, while the index’s futures in Chicago were down 0.51% at 26,135. It closed at 25,970.82 on Thursday.
The S&P/ASX 200 in Australia advanced 0.56% in early trade.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 1.79% at $94.47 per barrel in Asia trade on Friday.
Oil pared gains on Thursday after rising more than 8% on the news of Russia’s attack.
WTI settled 0.77% higher at $92.81 per barrel, while Brent crude futures gained 2.3% to settle at $99.08 per barrel.
Spot gold, traditionally a safe haven in times of uncertainty, last traded at $1,910.76.
Sanctions on Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday said Washington will seek to isolate Russia from the global economy by introducing new sanctions following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The White House has also authorized additional troops to be stationed in Germany, the president said.
The European Union also agreed to more sanctions on Russia, calling on the country to stop all military action and withdraw its forces.
Investors in the U.S. appeared to shake off Russia’s attack on Ukraine, with stocks mounting a stunning reversal to close higher after falling sharply earlier in the session.
The S&P 500 gained 1.5% after falling more than 2.6%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average erased a 859-point drop to advance 92.07 points. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite rose 3.3% after declining nearly 3.5% during trading hours.
Currencies
The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, was last at 97.048, up from 96.190.
The Japanese yen traded at 115.48, while the Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7165, up fractionally.
Bitcoin was up 1.61% at $38,269.50 on Friday morning in Asia.
Source: CNBC