Asia: Down
Hong Kong stocks closed the week lower amidst the continuous worries that anti-government protests could add pressure on the city island’s economy amid a bruising China-U.S. trade war.
The Hang Seng index ended down 0.1% at 26,435.67 on Friday, while the China Enterprises Index also lost 0.1% to 10,375.65.
HSI shed 3.4% for the week, while HSCE lost 2.9%.
Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.57%, while Japan’s Nikkei index closed up 0.16%.
Europe: Up
European shares were set for their fifth straight week of gains on Friday, led by defensive and retail stocks, but gains were limited as investors remained cautious about a wider economic slowdown and progress in U.S.-China trade talks.
STOXX 600 on track for fifth weekly gain.
A 1.08% increase in the retail sector helped lift the pan-European STOXX 600 index by 0.2%. Investors also bought into the so-called defensive sectors such as healthcare, utilities, real-estate and food and beverage.
Debt-laden French retailer Casino gained 2% after the company said it was in talks to sell its discount store chain Leader Price to German rival Aldi. Roche was among the biggest boosts to healthcare stocks.
US: Constant
This week’s US stock market rally had a somewhat disappointing session, with modest to solid morning gains largely erased by the close. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2%, the S&P 500 index closed almost exactly unchanged, and the Nasdaq composite edged up 0.1%.
