Japan +1.29%.
China +0.51%.
Hong Kong -0.41%
Australia +0.39%. Australian trade balance for May AUD +15,965m (expected +10,725mn).
Australian services PMI drops to 48.2 in June (prior was 49.2).
India +0.65%.
Overnight on Wall Street major indexes gained slightly on Wednesday stateside. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 69.86 points, or 0.23%, to 31,037.68. The S&P 500 advanced 0.36% to 3,845.08, and the Nasdaq Composite traded 0.35% higher to close at 11,361.85.
Federal Reserve officials recognized that a “more restrictive stance” in policy could be suitable if inflation doesn’t ease, even if it slows the economy, the meeting minutes said.
Fed officials also said a hike of 50 or 75 basis points would be likely at the July meeting.
Brent crude futures extended declines for a third session on Thursday, slipping under $100 a barrel, as fears of a potential global recession spurred concerns about oil demand.
Brent crude futures fell 94 cents, or 0.9%, to $99.75 a barrel by 0231 GMT. WTI crude futures slid 79 cents, or 0.8%, to $97.74 a barrel.
Gold prices edged up on Thursday from nine-month lows touched in the previous session, after a break in the dollar’s rally alleviated pressure on bullion, but analysts warned that the relief was likely to be temporary.
Spot gold firmed 0.3% to $1,744.19 per ounce by 0303 GMT, as the dollar dipped slightly from the 20-year highs reached on Wednesday, lending support to greenback-priced bullion.
U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,741.80.
Spot silver rose 0.7% to $19.32 per ounce, platinum gained 0.2% to $857.53, and palladium climbed 1.2% to $1,927.92.
U.S. futures lower. Dow Jones +0.15%; S&P 500 +0.16%; Nasdaq +0.29%.