Asian shares retreated on Friday as hawkish comments from some Federal Reserve officials and escalating geopolitical tensions put a dent in risk sentiment, while traders were also cautious ahead of U.S. jobs data due later in the day. The threat of supply disruptions owing to a prolonged conflict in the Middle East kept Brent futures above $90 a barrel.
Equity markets ended higher in a volatile trade on Monday, but the broader market continued to underperform. Analysts expect the markets to consolidate over the next few days while the broader market may continue to remain subdued. Here’s a breakdown of the pre-market actions, state of the markets, US stocks, Asian shares, and other relevant updates.
