Pedestrians walk in front of a quotation board displaying share prices of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo. — AFP pic
Those factors tempered earlier optimism stoked by the roll-out of vaccines and anticipation that new US stimulus would give the world economy a much-needed fiscal shot in the arm. E-mini futures for the S&P 500 were flat early in the Asian day. Japan's Nikkei opened down 0.4 per cent and New Zealand's was 0.5 per cent lower. The Australian dollar rose 0.04 per cent versus the greenback at US$0.771. Australian stock markets were closed for a national public holiday.
Earlier, European shares closed at two-week lows as a slump in German business morale underscored the damage from tighter Covid-19 restrictions.
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