Global markets update: US stocks close largely unchanged on mixed earnings

Following varied corporate earnings from significant US corporations, US markets ended the day largely unchanged. S&P 500 decreased 0.01% to 4,154.52. At 33,897.01, the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 0.23%. At 12,157.23, the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.03%.

After releasing poorer than anticipated profits, Netflix’s stock price declined. Following the release of first-quarter results that were better than anticipated, shares of Western Alliance Bancorp, United Airlines, and Abbott Laboratories all increased. Following a 20% decrease in net income, Morgan Stanley saw its stock tumble. The 10-year Treasury yield increased by 2.5 basis points to 3.597%. The 2-year Treasury yield increased 6.2 basis points to 4.261%.

Currencies

The US dollar rose to 134.73 Japanese yen from 134.08. The greenback fell to 1.0953 euro from 1.0972.

Canada

Canada’s Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index edged lower 3.85 points at 20,680.83.

European shares

European shares slipped on Wednesday as worries about inflation and more interest rate hikes weighed on sentiments.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.1%.

Britain’s annual inflation rate eased to 10.1% in March from February’s 10.4%. Britain’s consumer price inflation is the highest in western Europe.

The high inflation could prompt another interest rate hike from the Bank of England.

Britain’s FTSE 100 fell 0.1% at 7,898.77. Germany’s DAX lost less than 0.1% at 15,895.20. France’s CAC 40 added 0.2% at 7,549.44.

Euro zone inflation eased in March but underlying readings remained stubbornly high, raising worries at the ECB about the persistence of price pressures.

Asia

Asian stocks ended mostly lower on Wednesday.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index tanked 1.4% at 20,367.76. In China, Shanghai Composite index dipped 0.7% at 3,370.13. South Korean benchmark Kospi closed up 0.16% at 2,575.08.

Japan’s Nikkei 225: dropped 0.2% at 28,606.76.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index rose 0.1% at 7,365.50. New Zealand’s benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index ended 0.3% higher at 11,917.82.

Crude oil

Oil prices shed 2% on fears that the US Federal Reserve could hike rates sharply again, which in turn would dent demand.

On Wednesday, Brent crude for June delivery declined $1.65 to $83.12 a barrel. The benchmark US crude oil for May delivery fell $1.70 to $79.16 a barrel.

Bullion

Gold for June delivery fell $12.40 to $2,007.30 an ounce. Silver for May delivery rose 11 cents to $25.37 an ounce.

Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin slumped 3.6% at $29,337. Ether fell 5.1% to $1,986.9.

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