S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico MarketThe Australian dollar weakened around $0.664 on Thursday, easing from a three-month high, as investors weighed the latest labor market figures for clues on the Reserve Bank’s policy direction. The economy unexpectedly lost 21,300 jobs in November, the most in nine months, driven entirely by full-time positions, while fewer people entered the workforce, keeping the unemployment rate steady at 4.3%. The softer-than-expected data suggest a gradual easing in the labor market, prompting traders to push back expectations for rate hikes to the second half of 2026, from earlier bets on May. However, the central bank still views the labor market as tight, pointing to high job vacancies, widespread staffing shortages, rising labor costs, and indicators that the economy remains near full employment. Elsewhere, the AUD found support from a weaker US dollar after the Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 bps, while Chair Powell’s post-meeting comments surprised markets expecting a more hawkish tone.
