Reuters :
World stocks eked out small gains on Tuesday as investors resisted risky bets ahead of the first round of the French presidential election over the weekend.
Oil prices, which fell sharply on Wednesday on supply news, regained some of their losses.
In general, markets cautiously stuck to well-worn trading ranges buffeted by concern over political risks and continued tensions over North Korea.
Europe’s STOXX 600 rose 0.1 percent bolstered by strong sales reported by consumer sector bellwether Unilever. The FTSE 100 which has slid into negative territory for the year, was little changed.
In Asian hours, Japanese stocks failed to hold on to slim gains and closed flat on the day.
MSCI’s world stock index was up 0.13 percent.
“Given the binary risk of the French presidential elections and geopolitical concerns over North Korea, investors are staying on the sidelines,” said Fan Cheuk Wan, head of investment strategy and advisory, Asia, at HSBC Private Banking. A run of disappointing US economic data and questions about whether the Trump administration can push through tax cuts have dented some of the enthusiasm for risky assets in recent weeks.
A sharp dip to three-week lows in oil prices overnight was the latest sign of an unwind in the global reflation trade. Crude oil clawed back some of the loss but concerns about a supply glut capped the rebound.
World stocks eked out small gains on Tuesday as investors resisted risky bets ahead of the first round of the French presidential election over the weekend.
Oil prices, which fell sharply on Wednesday on supply news, regained some of their losses.
In general, markets cautiously stuck to well-worn trading ranges buffeted by concern over political risks and continued tensions over North Korea.
Europe’s STOXX 600 rose 0.1 percent bolstered by strong sales reported by consumer sector bellwether Unilever. The FTSE 100 which has slid into negative territory for the year, was little changed.
In Asian hours, Japanese stocks failed to hold on to slim gains and closed flat on the day.
MSCI’s world stock index was up 0.13 percent.
“Given the binary risk of the French presidential elections and geopolitical concerns over North Korea, investors are staying on the sidelines,” said Fan Cheuk Wan, head of investment strategy and advisory, Asia, at HSBC Private Banking. A run of disappointing US economic data and questions about whether the Trump administration can push through tax cuts have dented some of the enthusiasm for risky assets in recent weeks.
A sharp dip to three-week lows in oil prices overnight was the latest sign of an unwind in the global reflation trade. Crude oil clawed back some of the loss but concerns about a supply glut capped the rebound.
