Global shares mixed after S&P 500 reaches all-time high

Tokyo — Global shares were mixed Wednesday, as some markets were cheered by bullish sentiment overnight on Wall Street despite concerns about U.S. trade tensions with China.

KEEPING SCORE: France’s CAC 40 edged 0.2 percent higher to 5,416.83. Germany’s DAX was flat at 12,382.90. Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.4 percent to 7,535.84. The future contract for the Dow Jones industrial average lost 0.2 percent to 25,752 and S&P 500 futures were also down 0.2 percent, at 2,856.20.

ASIA’S DAY: Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 0.6 percent to finish at 22,362.55. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.3 percent to 6,266.00. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.1 percent to 2,273.33. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.6 percent to 27,921.24, while the Shanghai Composite fell 0.7 percent to 2,714.61. Shares were higher in Thailand and the Philippines. Other Southeast Asian markets were closed for holidays.

TRADE TENSIONS: Stocks have been buffeted by concerns about mounting trade tensions in recent months between the U.S. and China, set off by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Signs of potential progress have helped stocks rally in recent weeks.

BULL MARKET: The S&P 500 index briefly traded at an all-time high Tuesday just as the U.S. stock market’s bull run came closer to becoming the longest on record. The current bull market, which began in 2009, is on track to become the longest in history on Wednesday, surpassing the bull run of the 1990s.

ENERGY: U.S. benchmark crude rose 81 cents to $66.65 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 42 cents to $65.84 per barrel on Tuesday. Brent crude, the standard for international oil prices, gained $1.08 to $73.71 per barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 110.28 yen from 110.25 yen late Tuesday. The euro strengthened to $1.1591 from $1.1572.   /vvp