In Asian Equity Markets Japanese stocks fell on Friday as investors refrained from placing big bets ahead of an outcome of the country’s general election, while concerns over a slow economic recovery also weighed on risk appetite. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.3 percent in early trading and was on track for a weekly loss of 1.3 percent. Japan’s Nikkei was flat at 28,786,19. Chinese shares fell less than most other markets, with local blue chips trading flat, though the Hong Kong benchmark lost 0.83 percent, once again weighed by mainland Chinese property stocks.

In Currency Markets the dollar languished near its weakest level in a month against major peers on Friday, hurt by a stronger euro as traders bet on earlier European interest rate hikes and as an equity rally sapped demand for safer assets. The euro was largely flat at $1.16855 after rising as high as $1.1692 overnight for the first time since Sept. 28. Against the yen, the dollar was mostly unchanged at 113.50. The Australian dollar was largely unchanged at $0.75425, and the New Zealand dollar fell 0.3 percent to $0.71795. Sterling was almost flat at $.1.37925.

In US Equity Markets stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq boasting record closing levels thanks partly to gains in Apple and Amazon, while solid results from companies including Caterpillar and Merck helped ease concerns about slowing economic growth denting profits. The Dow closed up 0.68 percent, at 35,730.48, the S&P 500 gained 0.98 percent, to 4,596.42 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.39 percent, to 15,448.12. EBay Inc shares finished down 6.8 percent after the e-commerce firm forecast downbeat holiday-quarter revenue.

In Commodities Markets gold prices rose on Thursday, as demand for the safe-haven asset was lifted by a softer dollar and data showing the U.S. economy grew at its slowest pace in more than a year. Spot gold rose 0.3 percent to $1,801.43 per ounce. Spot silver rose 0.1 percent to $24.07 per ounce. Platinum rose 1 percent to $1,020.97 per ounce. Palladium jumped 1.5 percent to $1,992.81 per ounce. Brent crude settled down 0.3 percent, lower at $84.32 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 0.2 percent, to settle at $82.81.

In European Equity Markets stocks closed slightly higher on Thursday, buoyed by robust earnings from food and technology stocks, as the ECB kept its massive stimulus taps open and maintained its view that a recent spike in inflation would be temporary. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed 0.2 percent higher with food and beverage and technology sectors gaining 1.6 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively. Beer brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev rose 10.3 percent on a surprise rise in third-quarter profit, while French IT services provider Capgemini added 6.0 percent on strong earnings and outlook.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields advanced on Thursday, as investors shrugged off weaker-than-expected U.S. economic growth data and focused instead on the inflation components of the report, as well as a solid jobless claims number. In afternoon U.S. trading, the benchmark U.S. 10-year yield was up nearly 4 basis points at 1.5650 percent. U.S. 2-year yields hit a fresh 19-month high of 0.5640 percent and were last up less than a basis point at 0.499 percent. The U.S. 5-year yield, another part of the curve that is sensitive to Fed rate expectations, was up nearly 4 basis points at 1.1799 percent.