Market News

The Japanese Yen was broadly higher against its major peers as investors’ fears escalate on speculation that the global economy is on the verge of a downturn.

Asian stocks slipped with U.S. index futures extending the retreat in equities following the Federal Reserve report that said a slowdown in parts of the global economy could delay interest-rate increases.

The S&P 500 on Thursday posted its largest percentage decline in six months on concerns about the strength of the global economy and its effect on corporate earnings.

Global equity markets fell sharply on Tuesday and oil slipped to near 27-month lows as investors shifted funds into safe-haven government debt as poor economic data from Europe heightened concerns about worldwide demand.

In Japan, the Prime Minister earlier today spoke of the many disadvantages of a weak Japanese Yen, including burdens to Japan’s consumers, small businesses and especially exporters.

Asian stocks were mostly lower on Tuesday as investors awaited central bank decisions in Japan and Australia.

Friday’s unexpectedly strong labor report from the U.S. helped to push the dollar broadly higher, and along with it, the U.S. Dollar Index which closed out last week’s trading higher for the 12th consecutive time.

Unfazed by the city’s biggest political unrest since the 1960s, investors in exchange-traded funds tracking Hong Kong-listed stocks added more money even as the stock market posted its largest drop in seven months.

Asian stocks dropped for a sixth day as the yen held two days of gains, curbing the earnings outlook for Japanese exporters. Trading is due to resume in Hong Kong following a two-day holiday.

Asian stocks fell on Thursday, dragged lower after the first case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States spooked Wall Street overnight, while a bout of risk aversion pushed down yields and put the dollar's recent rally on pause.

The U.S. Dollar finally edged over the 110 Yen threshold, the first time since 2008, and the greenback also remained close to a 2-year high versus the common currency Euro.

Asian shares got off on the back foot on Wednesday as continued civil unrest in Hong Kong sapped confidence. The dollar index was in sight of a four-year high after marking its best quarterly gain in six years.

With the last day of the month nearly over, the U.S. Dollar is on track to finish out September with the largest quarterly gain since 2008.

Asian stocks declined on Monday following another day of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Protesters continued to block the roads around the city, staging one of the biggest demonstrations since Tianamen Square.

The U.S. Dollar saw broad gains in London trading, with the months-long rally still holding onto a full head of steam in what is certain to be a market-moving event filled week which includes at its culmination, the non-farm payrolls report on Friday.