Stock market today: Global stocks are mixed after Wall St tumble. Most markets close for holiday
HONG KONG (AP) — Britain’s index opened higher Wednesday while Japan and Australian markets fell, with most of the markets closed for a holiday. Meanwhile, stocks in the United States closed out their worst month since September.
U.S. shares were set to drift lower as Dow futures lost 0.1% and S&P 500 futures dipped 0.3%.
London’s FTSE 100 opened higher Wednesday with the index up 0.2% to 8,159.46 in early trading. Investors are waiting for the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision later in the day.
Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.3%, down to 38,274.05 after the country’s factory activity experienced a milder shrink in April, as the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index from au Jibun Bank rose to 49.6 in April from 48.2 in March. A PMI reading under 50 represents a contraction, and a reading of 50 indicates no change.
The yen continues to struggle. On Wednesday, the U.S. dollar rose to 157.97 Japanese yen from 157.74 yen.