World shares showed a mixed performance on Thursday following China's efforts to bolster its stock markets and instill confidence in investors. Germany's DAX gained 0.2% while the CAC 40 in Paris edged 0.1% higher. The FTSE 100 in Britain slipped slightly. Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were down.
Chinese officials announced measures to boost market value, including requiring pension funds and mutual funds to increase share purchases. Listed companies were encouraged to conduct stock buybacks and raise dividends. Share prices in Shanghai rose, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng experienced losses.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 index gained, driven by technology shares like SoftBank Group Corp. which is investing in a joint venture for AI development. Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank are set to invest up to $500 billion. SoftBank's shares rose significantly.
However, Fuji Media Holdings saw a drop after a prominent TV host announced his retirement due to sexual assault allegations. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell, and the Kospi in Seoul also experienced losses. India's Sensex rose, while the SET in Bangkok declined.
On Wall Street, big technology stocks like Oracle and Nvidia lifted the market, with the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all posting gains. Netflix reported a significant increase in subscribers, driving its stock price up. The cryptocurrency market saw bitcoin trading above $102,000.
U.S. benchmark crude oil prices dipped, and the dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen while the euro weakened. Overall, global markets displayed a mix of positive and negative movements amid various economic developments.
