Asian equity markets appear set for a mixed open on Friday following an uninspiring lead from Wall Street amid lower oil prices and as traders await a raft of data from Japan.
The world’s third-largest economy will hand in key economic indicators including household spending, jobless numbers, retail sales and industrial production for January before market opens, but attention will like fall on the closely-watched inflation figures.
Australia’s S&P ASX 200 index slipped 0.3 percent in early trade, with energy producers down due to lower oil prices overnight. Oil Search and Woodside Petroleum opened down 0.9 and 0.7 percent each, while Santos edged down 0.3 percent.
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AUD/USD holds above 0.6500 in thin trading
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Gold price finishes Thursday’s session set to reach new all-time highs
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Bears have been standing before a steamroller so far this year
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