Russian floors should be looking up on March 21 thanks to a positive international outlook.
On Wednesday March 20 Russian floors ended the session in the
black on news that the Cyprus government had voted against the
controversial deposit levy late on Tuesday. Rising oil prices also
pushed Russian stocks up.
The MICEX added 0.68%, while the RTS rose 0.71%. The stocks
demonstrated mixed dynamics during the day. VTB and Sberbank led
the charge along with pharmaceutical chain 36.6, Magnit and
Rostelecom. MRSK Severnogo Kavkaza, Polyus Gold, TGK-1 and RAO ES
of the East were in the red.
Asian stocks are mostly in positive territory on Thursday. The
Nikkei has already added 1.2%, the Shanghai Composite grew by 0.27%
and the Hang Seng is up 0.1%. The KOSPI is the only one flagging,
with a 0.02% decline.
China has published its industrial production index for March.
Manufacturing activity in the world's number-two economy improved
in March, HSBC said on Thursday, after February’s figures brought
major disappointment to the local stocks. New data will likely lift
the mood of the investors.
Good news came from Japan as well. The island state's merchandise
trade deficit in February narrowed from its record pace in the
previous month, the Ministry of Finance said.
European floors ended Wednesday’s session mixed. Britain’s FTSE100
dropped by 0.13%, Germany’s DAX added 0.68%, and France’s CAC40
demonstrated the most significant growth of 1.43%. Problems in
Cyprus are still under investors’ close watch. However the European
stocks will depend more on the macroeconomic news.
Germany is due to see its private sector business activity update
for March from Markit Economics. Similar data is expected from the
other eurozone states. The UK will publish data on its retail
sales.
The US will publish its weekly unemployment update along with real
estate prices.
On March 20 the trading session in the US ended in the black. The
Dow was up 0.39%, the S&P 500 grew by 0.67%, while the NASDAQ
added 0.78%. Optimism on the US markets was prompted by the
statement from the Federal Reserve that it will stick with
aggressive stimulus action and continue buying $85 billion in debt
each month with money it creates and hold interest rates near zero
within the asset purchasing program.
Oil quotes are mixed. Brent is up 0.02%, while Light is down
0.17%.