Global markets continued their levitation with the UK returning from vacation, pushing the MSCI Asia Pacific Index higher for the first time in seven days, while oil headed for the longest winning streak in almost seven years ahead of the promised OPEC production cut which is set to begin in just days.
Most world markets have reopened following the holiday weekend, but trading volumes remain significantly muted. Asian and European shares advance modestly amid low volumes with U.K. and Ireland closed; S&P futures are little changed while the dollar rose and oil extended its longest winning streak in four months.
With most global market closed for Christmas holiday, and traders taking the day and the week off, global stocks traded mixed in thin, subdued conditions as the dollar dipped against the yen, with the USDJPY sliding for a fourth straight day to 117, while the EUR was flat at 1.0450, taking stock of the US 10Y yield which closed lower on Friday.
European, Asian stocks and S&P futures all declined amid collapsing volumes, after the Wednesday drop in the S&P500, and after oil prices held losses amid an unexpected increase in supplies, as traders close out trades ahead of the holidays. Top overnight news include the imminent nationalization of Monte Paschi, the ongoing manhunt for the German Christmas market terrorist, Uber halting its self-driving car test in San Francisco, and the anti-China, anti-regulation moves in the Trump administration.
After three consecutive quarters of losses, the world's biggest pension funds, Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund, posted its first modest profit in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, providing a reprieve to the state money manager after it had come under attack in recent quarter for taking on too much risk by taking on too much exposure in risky assets.