Asia-Pacific Markets Rise Ahead of US Jobs Report
Asia-Pacific markets are poised to open higher on Friday, following gains on Wall Street ahead of a crucial US employment report. The report is expected to provide insights into the health of the world’s largest economy.
Focus on Apple Suppliers
Shares of Apple suppliers will be under scrutiny after the tech giant reported higher-than-expected earnings. Apple announced a massive 0 billion stock buyback program, boosting investor confidence.
US Jobs Report Looms
Economists forecast an increase of 240,000 jobs in the April nonfarm payrolls report, due out later today. This would mark a slowdown from the 303,000 jobs added in March.
The data will be closely monitored by investors, especially after the US Federal Reserve maintained interest rates steady at the end of its recent meeting.
Stock News from Japan and China
Stock markets in Japan and mainland China remained closed for public holidays.
Hong Kong and Australia
Futures for Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index indicated a higher open at 18,458, compared to its previous close of 18,207.13.
In Australia, futures for the S&P/ASX 200 also pointed to a positive open at 7,636, higher than its last close of 7,587.00.
US Market Closes
US stocks closed higher on Thursday as investors eagerly awaited more corporate earnings reports and the release of the nonfarm payrolls report.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 322.37 points, or 0.85%, while the S&P 500 rose 0.91%. The Nasdaq Composite surged by 1.51%.
LA News Center’s Samantha Subin and Alex Harring contributed to this report.
Data sourced from: cnbc.com
