Asia And Europe Markets Mixed; Oil Stays Below $70, Dollar Retreats - Global Markets Today While US Slept

Asia

Stocks in Asia-Pacific were mixed on Thursday, with some markets buoyed by positive earnings reports. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.3% after SoftBank Group reported a strong quarterly profit. In China, the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.2% as investors digested the latest economic data. Other markets in the region were mostly flat, with the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong and the Kospi in South Korea both little changed.

Europe

European stocks were also mixed on Thursday, with the FTSE 100 in the UK leading the gains. The FTSE 100 rose 0.7% after several companies reported strong earnings. The DAX in Germany and the CAC 40 in France were both flat. In other news, the European Central Bank announced that it would keep interest rates on hold in the eurozone.

US

US stock futures were pointing to a mixed open on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both set to open lower. The Nasdaq Composite was set to open slightly higher. In economic news, the Labor Department reported that the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell last week.

Oil

Oil prices fell on Thursday, as a surprise build in US crude inventories weighed on the market. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 1.2% to $69.42 a barrel. US crude fell 1% to $67.47 a barrel. The price of oil has fallen in recent weeks as concerns about a global economic slowdown have increased.

Dollar

The US dollar fell against a basket of currencies on Thursday, as investors sought out safer assets amid concerns about a global economic slowdown. The dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six major currencies, fell 0.2% to 93.44.