New Delhi, April 29 : Stock and commodity exchanges, currency as well as bond markets are closed on Monday as the state of Maharashtra votes in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Asian stock markets edged up this morning after surprising strong US first-quarter economic growth boosted the S&P 500 index to a record high, but gains were capped by caution over less upbeat aspects in the GDP report which pointed to some weakening ahead, reports Reuters.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up less than 0.1 percent, edging higher after posting its biggest weekly drop in more than a month last week.
Australian shares were down 0.26 percent, while Seoul’s KOSPI was up 0.4 percent. Japan’s financial markets are closed for a long national holiday this week, but Nikkei 225 futures in Singapore were 0.72 percent higher.
Wall Street ended Friday on a high note following data showing U.S. gross domestic product grew at a faster 3.2 percent annualized rate in the first quarter.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.31 percent to 26,543.33 and the Nasdaq Composite added or 0.34 percent to 8,146.40. The S&P 500 gained 0.47 percent to 2,939.88, its second record closing high for the week.
The BSE Sensex rallied 336 points on Friday to reclaim the 39,000 level after global oil prices slipped below the $75 a barrel mark and select blue chips posted encouraging results. However, for the week ended April 26, Sensex declined 72 points, or 0.18 per cent, while Nifty added 1.85 points, or 0.01 per cent.
With over 6 per cent rally, Tata Steel emerged the biggest gainer in the Sensex pack after it reported a rise in consolidated income for March quarter.
