In Asian Equity Markets the Nikkei 225 in Japan fell 1.85 percent in morning trade as index heavyweights Softbank Group and Fanuc saw their shares falling by around 2.2 percent and 2 percent, respectively. Mainland Chinese stocks also declined in early trade as the Shanghai composite fell 0.97 percent. Hang Seng index fell 0.53 percent. Hong Kong-listed shares of China Construction Bank declined almost 1.5 percent after the company posted its first quarterly profit drop since 2015. Australia’s ASX 200 slipped fractionally, with the sectors mixed.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar rose on Thursday as many of its peers weakened after more central banks opted to shift to a dovish policy stance in the wake of deteriorating economic prospects. The latest switch came from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), which stunned markets on Wednesday by saying the next move in rates is likely to be down, joining a growing list of central banks that had turned dovish. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies was 0.17 percent higher at 96.942 and headed for its third day of gains.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Thursday, extending losses into a second straight session, after widely watched data showed a surprising increase in U.S. stocks. International Brent crude oil futures were at $67.63 a barrel, down 20 cents, or 0.3 percent, from their last close. Brent closed down 0.2 percent on Wednesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $59.18 per barrel, down 23 cents, or 0.4 percent, from their last settlement. WTI fell 0.9 percent on Wednesday.

In US Equity Markets stocks eased on Wednesday as Treasury bond yields fell again and a prolonged inversion in the yield curve fanned fears of a U.S. economic slowdown. The S&P 500 lost 0.46 percent, to 2,805.37 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.63 percent, to 7,643.38. Bank and financial stocks fell, with the S&P 500 financial index ending down 0.4 percent. Lennar Corp rose 3.9 percent as the No. 2 U.S. homebuilder said it expected the housing market to improve, while shares of KB Home, which reported upbeat results late Tuesday, were up 2.7 percent.

In Bond Markets benchmark 10-year Treasury yields fell to 15-month lows on Wednesday as the New Zealand and European central banks adopted a dovish tone on interest rates and investors worried about a global recession. Germany, meanwhile, sold debt with a negative yield for the first time since 2016. Ten-year Treasuries gained 8/32 in price to yield 2.386 percent, after falling to 2.352 percent overnight, the lowest since December 2017.  The Treasury Department sold $41 billion in five-year notes to solid demand on Wednesday.