US indices advance despite mediocre jobs report - 4.9.2017

US adds 156 thousand new jobs in August

US stock indices closed higher on Friday as higher consumer sentiment and expanding manufacturing sector data outweighed mediocre August nonfarm payroll rise of 156 thousand. The dollar strengthened: the live dollar index data show the ICE US Dollar index, a measure of the dollar’s strength against a basket of six rival currencies, inched up 0.3% to 92.809. S&P 500 ended 0.2% higher at 2476.55. The Dow Jones industrial average finished 0.2% higher at 21987.56. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.1 % closing at 6435.33.

European stocks start lower

European stock indices advanced on Friday. The euro weakened against the dollar while the British Pound ended higher. The Stoxx Europe 600 index rose a third consecutive day closing up 0.6%. The DAX 30 rose 0.7% to 12142.64. France’s CAC 40 ended 0.7% higher and UK’s FTSE 100 added 0.1% to 7438.50. Indices opened 0.3% - 0.7% lower today.

Asian stocks start week lower

Asian stock indices are mostly lower today. Nikkei closed 0.9% lower at 19508.25 today as yen advanced against the dollar as tensions rose on news North Korea is preparing for another missile launch. The Chinese stocks are mixed: the Shanghai Composite Index is up 0. 3%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index is 0.7% lower. Australia’s All Ordinaries Index is down 0.4% supported by higher commodity stocks despite a weaker Australian dollar against the greenback.

Oil down

Oil futures prices are lower today as US refineries shut down because of Hurricane Harvey which are gradually starting up again. About 5.5% of the US Gulf of Mexico’s oil production remained shut on Sunday, according to the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. October Brent ended little changed at $52.75 a barrel on Friday.