Global Stocks Mixed Wednesday
TOKYO (AP) -- Global stocks were mixed Wednesday as worries lingered over political uncertainty in Washington and shares drooped overnight in the U.S. while China was boosted by manufacturing data.
KEEPING SCORE: France's CAC 40 slid 0.4 percent in early trading to 5,287.10. Germany's DAX was little changed, inching down less than 0.1 percent at 12,588.10. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.2 percent to 7,544.42. U.S. shares were set to be mixed, with Dow futures losing 0.02 percent to 21,010, while S&P 500 futures added 0.04 percent to 2,411.60.
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ASIA'S DAY: Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 0.1 percent to finish at 19,650.57. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1 percent to 5,724.60. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.2 percent to 2,347.38. Hong Kong's Hang Seng inched down 0.1 percent to 25,667.10, while the Shanghai Composite was up 0.2 percent at 3,117.18.
TRUMP FACTOR: An ongoing probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election has set off uncertainty about the administration of President Donald Trump. National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has decided to provide documents to the Senate intelligence committee, while Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, has rejected a House intelligence committee request for information. Former White House staffer Boris Epshteyn confirmed he has been contacted for information as part of the investigation.
CHINA DATA: An official monthly survey showed that growth in China's factory activity was steady last month in a sign that the recovery in the world's No. 2 economy is holding up. The purchasing' managers index, or PMI, released Wednesday came in at 51.2 for May.
THE QUOTE: "This suggests further stablization of the world's second largest economy and will allow policy makers more room to carry out the de-leverage campaign in an attempt to reduce the country's heightened debts," Margaret Yang Yan, analyst with CMC Markets Singapore, said of the China data.
ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude lost 50 cents to $49.16 a barrel in New York. It lost 14 cents to $49.66 a barrel Tuesday. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 50 cents to $51.74 a barrel in London.
CURRENCIES: The dollar fell to 110.93 yen from 111.07 yen late Tuesday in Asia. The euro inched up to $1.1186 from $1.1181.
(KA)