Asian stocks follow Wall Street higher on upbeat data
People are reflected on the electronic board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Asian stock prices followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday on encouraging global economic data.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
BEIJING – Asian stock prices followed Wall Street higher on Tuesday on encouraging global economic data.
Benchmarks in Shanghai, Tokyo and Seoul all advanced. Oil prices advanced again, adding to Monday’s big gains.
Investors were encouraged by manufacturing indicators that showed activity in China and the United States improving.
A separate report showed U.S. construction spending increased in February.
In another hopeful sign, long-term bond yields rose above their recent lows, following a sharp drop last month that flashed a possible recession warning, rattling Wall Street.
The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.2% to 3,177.60 points while Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.2% to 21,555.60. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was 0.2% higher at 29,626.04 and Seoul’s Kospi advanced 0.2% to 2,173.65.
Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 added 0.8% to 6,264.10. Benchmarks in Taiwan, New Zealand and Southeast Asia also rose.
On Wall Street, the benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose Monday for a third day, advancing 1.2% to 2,867.19.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.3% to 26,258.42. The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3% to 7,828.91.
Financial and technology companies powered the latest rally. Investors tend to favor those sectors when they’re confident the economy will continue growing.
Bank of America gained 3.4% and Intel rose 1.5%.
Consumer product makers and utility companies, which are considered safe-play investments, lagged the market. Clorox fell 1.2% and NRG Energy slid 1.7%.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose sharply, to 2.47% from 2.41% late Friday.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude gained 32 cents to $61.91 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract surged $1.45 on Monday to close at $61.59. Brent crude, used to price international oils, rose 34 cents to $69.35 per barrel in London. It jumped $1.43 to $69.01 the previous session.
CURRENCY: The dollar edged higher to 111.36 yen from Monday’s 111.35 yen. The euro declined to $1.1201 from $1.1213. /gsg
