Asian Stocks Inch Up, Mark Time Before US Healthcare Vote

(MENAFN- DailyFX) Asian stocks crept higher after a shaky couple of days Investor focus is on Washington and a key healthcare vote The US Dollar ticked up a little, too Asian stocks were mostly higher on Thursday, taking cues from Wall Street's rather more composed last session. Traders awaited a key US Congressional healthcare vote, which is widely being seen as a gauge of the Trump Administration's legislative power.

The Nikkei 225 ended up 0.2% after a rather listless session which saw it on both sides of the start line at times. Markets have been keeping an eye on headlines out of Tokyo concerning the relationship between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife and the Principal of a school which may have bought land at a fraction of its market price. Abe has denied any wrongdoing.

expected, and said it would remain accommodative.

Crude oil prices rebounded from Wednesday's losses, but swollen US inventories and rising output remain a worry for the market. Meanwhile gold prices steadied below the previous session's three-week highs as the US Dollar recovered.

Coming up in the European and North American sessions will be UK retail-sales data and the European Central Bank's economic bulletin, along with US existing-home sales and initial jobless claim numbers.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will speak, but she'll do so at a Community Development Conference at which she may not offer many policy clues. The Bank of England's Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent is also due to talk publicly, in London.

Would you like to know more about trading the financial markets? DailyFX's trading guide should be your first stop.

--- Written by David Cottle, DailyFX Research

Contact and follow David on Twitter:@DavidCottleFX

.

DailyFX

MENAFN2303201700760000ID1095340157