NEW YORK, Jan 18 — Global equities rose yesterday, with Wall Street stocks ending at fresh records, as solid Chinese economic data brightened the global outlook following the landmark US-China trade deal earlier in the week.
European markets were all higher following signs the Chinese economy is stabilizing.
“China released some broadly positive economic reports, which has boosted sentiment around the globe,” said CMC Markets analyst David Madden.
Apart from a blip last week caused by the US killing of Iran’s top general, markets have had a strong start to the new decade, building on the rally of late 2019.
The gains have been fanned by the “phase one” trade agreement signed this week by the United States and China as well as signs of improvement in various economies, lower interest rates, government stimulus and easing Brexit concerns.
The prospect of a healthy batch of corporate earnings means there are hopes for further advances as well.
Analysts see few economic clouds on the horizon in the short term but worry that high stock valuations could prompt a selloff.
Chinese growth
Beijing contributed to the feel-good atmosphere, releasing data that said the world’s second biggest economy expanded by 6.1 per cent last year.
While that was the slowest pace in three decades and well below the 2018 level of 6.6 per cent, it was in line with expectations and the government’s target.
The six per cent growth for October-December was the same as the previous quarter, and traders were cheered by a better-than-forecast rise in retail sales, industrial output and investment.
The slowdown in Chinese growth has been a major headache for investors for the past few years as the country’s leaders struggle with the US trade war, slowing global demand and a worrying debt mountain.
Later yesterday, US data showed December construction of new US housing shot to a 13-year high, added to positive investor sentiment.
Key figures around 2200 GMT
New York — DOW: UP 0.2 per cent at 29,348.10 (close)
New York — S&P 500: UP 0.4 per cent at 3,329.62 (close)
New York — Nasdaq: UP 0.3 per cent at 9,388.94 (close)
London — FTSE 100: UP 0.9 per cent at 7,674.56 points (close)
Frankfurt — DAX 30: UP 0.7 per cent at 13,526.13 (close)
Paris — CAC 40: UP 1.0 per cent at 6,100.72 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 per cent at 3,808.26 (close)
Tokyo — Nikkei 225: UP 0.5 per cent at 24,041.26 (close)
Hong Kong — Hang Seng: UP 0.6 per cent at 29,056.42 (close)
Shanghai — Composite: UP 0.1 per cent at 3,075.50 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at US$1.1093 (RM4.50) from US$1.1137 at 2200 GMT
Pound/dollar: DOWN at US$1.3010 from US$1.3080
Euro/pound: UP at 85.27 pence from 85.15 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 110.12 yen from 110.16 yen
Brent Crude: UP 0.4 per cent US$64.85 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP less than 0.1 per cent at US$58.54 per barrel. — AFP
