📆 Thursday, April 4
► In Europe, stocks saw a slight boost ahead of US employment figures and following further improving economic data, with the Euro Stoxx 600 moving 0.2% higher. Meanwhile, Spain's services sector showed resilience with the PMI climbing to an impressive 56.1 in March, reflecting a seventh consecutive month of business activity increase. Germany's service sector just edged into expansion, with a PMI of 50.1 marking a six-month high, highlighting a mixed but hopeful economic landscape across the continent.
► Over in the US, futures rose by over 0.3%. This comes after Powell's reassurance that the Fed is on a wait-and-see stance regarding interest rate adjustments, which did little to sway the consensus that rate cuts are on the horizon this year. However, the anticipation of comprehensive job data keeps investors on their toes, balancing optimism with the reality of recent strong economic indicators that have tempered expectations for an aggressive monetary easing policy.
► Asia presented a diverse picture; Japan's Nikkei 225 surged by 0.81%, buoyed by positive market sentiment and despite the country's large manufacturers showing a dip in confidence. However, markets in China and Hong Kong remained closed for a public holiday, pausing the assessment of Asia's economic pulse amid ongoing recovery signs and central bank policies. The earthquake in Taiwan has led to speculation about potential increases in chip prices, affecting stocks such as Samsung and SK Hynix.
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