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Global Market Today: Asia Stocks Waver as Yen Surges, Iran Warns of Retaliation
The yen strengthened and Brent briefly topped $98 a barrel as traders weighed Middle East shipping risks and tighter policy prospects.
Asian stock markets opened mostly lower on Sept 8 as Middle East tensions pushed Oil prices higher, adding to inflation concerns. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index dropped 0.2 per cent, with benchmark gauges in Japan and Australia declining.
Oil prices reflect ongoing volatility from weekend strikes involving Iran, as Tehran threatened to target energy infrastructure across the Gulf, pushing Brent crude futures to $97.04 a barrel.
Following a 1.2 per cent rally on Sept 7, the Japanese yen advanced 0.4 per cent to 153.73 per dollar. Japanese real wages rose 2.4 per cent, strengthening the case for Bank in Japan tightening.
Traders are pricing a 60% probability of a 25-basis-points Fed hike on Sept 16, according to CME Group's FedWatch tool. Bond markets remain nervy as participants adjust positioning heading into the Bank blackout period, according to Geoff Yu, senior macro strategist at BNY.
Oracle Corp and Adobe report earnings on Sept 10, offering a fresh read on artificial intelligence infrastructure spending and the potential threat the technology poses to software makers.