- Stocks in Asia and futures in the US rose ahead of important American jobs data that will help determine the route forward for the Fed's monetary tightening.
- Japanese, Australian, and South Korean stocks all gained. Shares in Hong Kong and China rose to extend recent gains, aided by rumours that Chinese regulators might ease curbs on property developer borrowing. After the US index declined 1.2% on Thursday, contracts for European futures and the S&P 500 gained.
- Treasury 10-year yields fell marginally after posting their first weekly rise on Thursday in response to comments from Fed officials. After the Bank of Japan announced additional unscheduled bond purchases to regulate its yield curve, the dollar stabilised and the yen declined.
- The generally upbeat sentiment precedes the announcement of nonfarm payroll data on Friday. Estimates indicate a decrease in new job creation, indicating a cooling in the labour market, which would minimise the demand for higher interest rates. However, private payroll statistics reported on Thursday exceeded expectations, and a surprising drop in new claims for unemployment benefits highlighted a healthy labour market.