Investing.com - Asian stocks rose on Wednesday in another session marked by talk that weak economic indicators around the world will prompt central banks to stimulate their respective economies via monetary easing tools.
During Asian trading on Wednesday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.11%, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was up 0.85%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was up 0.57%.
Soft manufacturing numbers and sluggish jobs reports continued to prime market talk that central banks, the Federal Reserve especially, will spur economic recovery via bond buybacks from banks, known as quantitative easing, to spur recovery.
As a side effect to quantitative easing, the dollar weakens while stock markets across the globe rise.
Weak manufacturing data in the U.S. rekindled talk the Federal Reserve will stimulate the world's largest economy.
Earlier this week, the Institute for Supply Management reported that its index of U.S. manufacturing activity fell to 49.7 in June from 53.5 in May.
A reading below 50.0 indicates industry contraction.
June's figure was the lowest reading since July 2009 and well below analyst forecasts for the index to slip down to 52.0.
Official data softened the blow.
The U.S. government reported that U.S. factory orders increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in May, above expectations for a 0.2% gain.
Meanwhile in the U.S., the June jobs report will publish on Friday, and fears the numbers will disappoint further primed talk of Federal Reserve intervention.
In Europe, the eurozone unemployment rate rose to a record high 11.1% in May from 11.0% in April.
In Australia, the Reserve Bank of Australia left benchmark interest rates unchanged at 3.50%, in line with market expectations.
Retail sales in Australia rose by 0.5% in May, better than expected and above April's gain of 0.1%.
Analysts were predicting a gain of 0.2%.
In Hong Kong, top gainers included China Shenhua, up 3.20%, Sino Land, up 2.56% as well, and New World Development Corporation, up 2.22%.
In Australia, top gainers included Coalspur Mines, up 12.80%, art Energy, up 12.12%, and Aquarius Platinum, up 7.48%.
European stock futures indicated a mixed opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a gain of 0.12%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures signaled a gain of 0.04%. Meanwhile, in the U.K., the FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.13%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down 0.05% while the S&P 500 futures were up 0.01%.
Markets will begin to look ahead to monetary policy meetings in the eurozone and in the U.K. as well as to the June jobs report due out in the U.S. on Friday.
During Asian trading on Wednesday, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.11%, Australia's S&P/ASX200 was up 0.85%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index was up 0.57%.
Soft manufacturing numbers and sluggish jobs reports continued to prime market talk that central banks, the Federal Reserve especially, will spur economic recovery via bond buybacks from banks, known as quantitative easing, to spur recovery.
As a side effect to quantitative easing, the dollar weakens while stock markets across the globe rise.
Weak manufacturing data in the U.S. rekindled talk the Federal Reserve will stimulate the world's largest economy.
Earlier this week, the Institute for Supply Management reported that its index of U.S. manufacturing activity fell to 49.7 in June from 53.5 in May.
A reading below 50.0 indicates industry contraction.
June's figure was the lowest reading since July 2009 and well below analyst forecasts for the index to slip down to 52.0.
Official data softened the blow.
The U.S. government reported that U.S. factory orders increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.7% in May, above expectations for a 0.2% gain.
Meanwhile in the U.S., the June jobs report will publish on Friday, and fears the numbers will disappoint further primed talk of Federal Reserve intervention.
In Europe, the eurozone unemployment rate rose to a record high 11.1% in May from 11.0% in April.
In Australia, the Reserve Bank of Australia left benchmark interest rates unchanged at 3.50%, in line with market expectations.
Retail sales in Australia rose by 0.5% in May, better than expected and above April's gain of 0.1%.
Analysts were predicting a gain of 0.2%.
In Hong Kong, top gainers included China Shenhua, up 3.20%, Sino Land, up 2.56% as well, and New World Development Corporation, up 2.22%.
In Australia, top gainers included Coalspur Mines, up 12.80%, art Energy, up 12.12%, and Aquarius Platinum, up 7.48%.
European stock futures indicated a mixed opening.
France's CAC 40 futures pointed to a gain of 0.12%, while Germany's DAX 30 futures signaled a gain of 0.04%. Meanwhile, in the U.K., the FTSE 100 futures indicated a loss of 0.13%.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were down 0.05% while the S&P 500 futures were up 0.01%.
Markets will begin to look ahead to monetary policy meetings in the eurozone and in the U.K. as well as to the June jobs report due out in the U.S. on Friday.