Japan Stocks Decline After Monday Gain as Commodity Shares Slip

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Japanese shares fell, with the Topix index dropping from its biggest gain in two weeks, as commodities shares led losses following a decline in U.S. stocks.

The Topix index slipped 0.3 percent to 1,524.84 as of 9:09 a.m. in Tokyo, with 26 of the 33 industry groups falling. The measure posted its biggest gain since Dec. 17 on Monday on the lowest turnover in a year. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 0.3 percent to 18,824.74. The yen traded little changed at 120.35 per dollar after falling for the first time in five days yesterday.

E-mini futures on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index were unchanged. The underlying measure dropped 0.2 percent on Monday after resuming trading following a Christmas holiday. Energy companies resumed their familiar role as the market’s worst performers, while gains in Amazon.com Inc. and Walt Disney Co. helped mute declines.

Oil led a retreat among commodities Monday, sliding 3.4 percent from a three-week high as Iran repeated its goal of boosting exports after sanctions on the country are lifted. A drop in Chinese industrial profits also weighed on sentiment toward raw materials.

Source : Bloomberg

U.S. Stocks Slip With Crude Weighing on Energy as Year-End Looms

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Gains in Amazon.com Inc. and Walt Disney Co. helped U.S. stocks mute declines led by energy shares, as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index struggled to advance for the year entering the final trading days of 2015.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.2 percent to 2,056.55 at 4 p.m. in New York, as the gauge in afternoon trading whittled down an earlier 0.8 percent decline. This week is shortened, with markets closed for the New Year’s Day holiday on Friday.

While policy makers expect the pace of future rate boosts will be gradual, they have emphasized that the path depends on progress in economic data. Reports this week include readings on home prices, consumer confidence and pending home sales.

Stocks are still defying the historical trend of gains in the final month of the year. Amid a series of sharp rallies and selloffs revolving around investor focus on the first U.S. rate increase in almost a decade, the S&P 500 is heading for its worst December since 2002, down 1.2 percent. The main U.S. equity benchmark today lost its slim advance for the year, now down 0.1 percent after weaving between gains and losses throughout December.

Source : Bloomberg

U.S Stocks Fall With Crude Weighing on Energy as Year-End Looms

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U.S. stocks declined to begin their final trading days of 2015, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index struggling to advance for the year, as commodity shares tracked a retreat in oil following crude’s strongest weekly gain in four months.

Energy companies resumed their role as the market’s worst performers after a one-week reprieve, with Chevron Corp. and Marathon Oil Corp. dropping at least 1.8 percent. Copper producer Freeport-McMoRan Inc. sank 7.4 percent after climbing 24 percent in the prior five sessions. Walt Disney Co. rose as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” surged past $1 billion in worldwide sales.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.6 percent to 2,049.06 at 12:46 p.m. in New York, giving up its gain for the year after its best week since Nov. 20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 86.77 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,465.40. The Nasdaq Composite Index fell 0.7 percent. Trading in S&P 500 shares was 44 percent below the 30-day average for this time of day. This week is shortened, with markets closed for the New Year’s Day holiday on Friday.

Source: Bloomberg

Dollar Poised for First Monthly Decline Since August Versus Euro

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The dollar is on pace for the first monthly decline since August as investors bet the Federal Reserve will wait until at least April to raise interest rates again after last week’s liftoff from near zero.

Hedge funds reduced futures bets for a second week that the dollar will advance against the 19-nation currency, in the last positioning data available before the U.S. central bank raised its target for the first time in almost a decade on Dec. 16.

The dollar is up against almost all major currencies this year as investors prepared for Fed liftoff while other central banks added stimulus. Yet U.S. policy makers have emphasized that they’ll stick to a gradual pace of increases to assess the economy’s response to higher borrowing costs and as commodity prices tumble.

The U.S. currency fell 0.4 percent to $1.0915 per euro at 5 p.m. New York time, extending this month’s losses to 3.3 percent. The dollar’s depreciated 1.6 percent in December to 121.19 yen.

Source: Bloomberg