- A measure of Asian equities was on track for its second weekly rise, lifted by expectations for Chinese economic stimulus and the S&P 500's entry into a bull market.
- Shares in Hong Kong wavered and moved up in Shanghai as a further dip in Chinese producer prices and lacklustre consumer prices fueled speculation that the government would need to provide additional support.
- Japanese markets recovered from a 2-day slump, while Australian shares recovered after sliding in the previous three days. South Korean shares have reached their highest level since June of last year.
- Futures on US indexes fell slightly in early Asian trading. Government bond yields in Australia and New Zealand fell on Thursday, matching drops in Treasury yields.
- A surge in US unemployment claims to the highest level since October 2021 shows that the labour market is beginning to soften, which has fueled tech stocks. They had encountered headwinds from predictions that the Federal Reserve would maintain interest rates higher for an extended period of time.
