Sensex Today | Share Market Crash Live Updates : European bourses were looking at a lower open, with Eurostoxx 50 futures down 0.30%, German DAX futures down 0.29% and FTSE futures 0.32% lower.
Japanese shares ended higher on Tuesday, while the yen slid to 150 per dollar after the Bank of Japan as widely expected ended eight years of negative interest rates and ushered in the nation’s first policy tightening since 2007.
In a week filled with central bank meetings across the globe, the BOJ heralded a new era as it shifted away from years of ultra-easy monetary policy. It also abandoned yield curve control and dropped purchases of riskier assets, including exchange-traded funds.
Japan’s Nikkei was choppy initially after the decision but closed 0.66% higher, while Japanese government bond yields fell. In a statement announcing its decision, the BOJ said it will keep buying “broadly the same amount” of government bonds as before and ramp up purchases in case yields rise rapidly.
Investor focus is now on whether Tuesday’s BOJ hike is a one-and-done move or if there is more tightening to come as it may influence the yen’s role as a funding currency for carry trades.
BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said in his press conference that accommodative financial conditions will be maintained for the time being and the pace of further hikes will depend on the economic and inflation outlooks.
South Korean shares fell more than 1% on Tuesday, dragged down by automakers after a sharp fall in the Japanese yen. The won weakened, while the benchmark bond yield rose.
The benchmark KOSPI closed down 29.67 points, or 1.10%, to 2,656.17.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.84%. China stocks fell, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index down over 1%, while the blue-chip shares fell 0.59%.
The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes eased to 4.324% in Asian hours, having risen to a three-week high of 4.348% on Monday. The elevated yields boosted the dollar, with its index touching a two week high of 103.82.
In commodities, spot gold eased to $2,155.60 an ounce. U.S. crude fell 0.18% to $82.57 per barrel and Brent was at $86.74, down 0.17% on the day.
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