TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher on Wednesday after Tesla shares zoomed up more than 10%, helping to drive U.S. benchmarks to new records.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.9% in morning trading to 40,425.27. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained nearly 0.3% to 7,740.00. South Korea’s Kospi edged up nearly 0.1% to 2,782.42. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.9% to 17,924.43, while the Shanghai Composite lost 0.3% to 2,989.51.
Asian investors were cheered by hopes for an interest rate cut in the U.S. But some traders were keeping to the sidelines ahead of Thursday’s Independence Day holiday in the U.S.
“On the radar is the Japan’s Nikkei, which may extend its run above the 40,000 level, with overnight strength in tech while the Japanese yen continues to trade at a 38-year low,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at IG.
In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 161.63 Japanese yen from 161.43 yen. The euro cost $1.0747, little changed from $1.0749. Among Tokyo technology-related shares, Kyocera Corp. jumped 2.2% in morning trading, while Murata Manufacturing Co. surged 5.2%.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 added 0.6% to 5,509.01, topping its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4% to 39,331.85, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.8% to 18,028.76, besting its own record set a day earlier.
Tesla led the way with a 10.2% jump after the electric-vehicle maker reported a milder drop in sales for the spring than analysts expected. Modest gains for other big, influential stocks also helped lift the market, including a 1.6% climb for Apple.
Stocks got a lift from easing Treasury yields after the head of the Federal Reserve made comments that investors took as a signal for possible cuts to interest rates later this year. Fed Chair Jerome Powell gave a nod to improvements in inflation data after some disappointingly high readings early in the year.
“We just want to understand that the levels that we’re seeing are a true reading of underlying inflation,” he said during a panel discussion at the European Central Bank’s monetary policy conference in Sintra, Portugal.
Investors hope inflation will slow enough to convince the Fed to lower its main interest rate, which has been sitting at its highest level in more than two decades and pressing the brakes on the economy.
Keeping Wall Street’s gains in check was Nvidia, which has been one of this year’s brightest stars. It fell 1.3%, though it’s still up nearly 147.7% for the year so far.
Eli Lilly fell 0.8%, and U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk dropped 1.7% after President Biden criticized in an opinion piece for USA Today how much the companies are charging for their drugs for weight loss and diabetes.
The week’s most anticipated economic data will arrive on Friday, when the U.S. government reports the total jobs employers added in June. Before then, the U.S. stock market will have a shortened trading day on Wednesday and Thursday’s Fourth of July holiday.
Treasury yields have been feeling some upward pressure recently because of politics. Last week’s debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump pushed traders to make moves in anticipation of a possible Republican sweep in November. That included sending Treasury yields higher, in part because of the possibility for policies that would further raise the U.S. government’s debt.
The 10-year yield is still well above its 4.29% level from late Thursday, before the debate.
In commodities markets, the price of benchmark U.S. oil ended up slipping modestly after touching its highest price since April. Crude prices have largely been rising on expectations for strong demand during the summer, as well as the possibility of hurricanes damaging oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Beryl is roaring through the Caribbean.
U.S. benchmark crude added 35 cents to $83.16 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 40 cents to $86.64 a barrel.
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AP Writer Stan Choe contributed.
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Rephrased content:
Asian markets experienced mostly positive trends on Wednesday, following a surge in Tesla shares which rose by over 10%, leading to new record highs in the U.S. stock market. Japan’s Nikkei 225 increased by 0.9% to 40,425.27, the S&P/ASX 200 in Australia rose by nearly 0.3% to 7,740.00, and South Korea’s Kospi inched up by almost 0.1% to 2,782.42. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed by 0.9% to 17,924.43, while the Shanghai Composite dipped by 0.3% to 2,989.51
Investors in Asia were optimistic about the possibility of a U.S. interest rate cut, although some were cautious ahead of the Independence Day holiday in the U.S. Market analyst Yeap Jun Rong from IG noted that the Nikkei might continue its positive momentum above the 40,000 mark, driven by strength in the tech sector and the Japanese yen trading at a 38-year low. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 161.63 Japanese yen from 161.43 yen, and the euro remained stable at $1.0747
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 reached 5,509.01, surpassing its previous all-time high, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 0.4% to 39,331.85 and the Nasdaq composite rising by 0.8% to 18,028.76, achieving a new record. Tesla’s shares soared by 10.2% after reporting better-than-expected sales, contributing to the market’s gains.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments hinting at potential interest rate cuts later in the year due to improvements in inflation data also provided a boost to stocks. However, Nvidia’s shares fell by 1.3%, despite having a notable 147.7% year-to-date increase. On the flip side, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk saw declines after President Biden criticized their drug pricing strategies
The U.S. government is set to release crucial job data for June on Friday, with a shortened trading schedule in place for Wednesday and the Fourth of July holiday on Thursday. Treasury yields have been fluctuating due to political factors, including anticipation around the upcoming elections in November. Oil prices experienced minor fluctuations, with U.S. benchmark crude reaching $83.16 a barrel and Brent crude at $86.64 a barrel.
