Jerome powell talks of heartbreaking harm from the coronavirus and says the pandemic has brought the u. S. To an abrupt halt. We are seeing optimism with asian stocks really prized to follow the leader when it comes to gains on wall street overnight. The s p 500 gaining 2. 5 percent, touching a sevenweek high as we have the dual optimism over expected track to a vaccine with the socalled operation work speed from the Trump Administration. More encouraging news about efficacy on a Gilead Sciences therapeutic as well. We are taking a look at gains resuming in new zealand. Japanese futures pointed up after yesterdays public holiday. U. S. Futures also showing an extension of those public gains. On seeing futures looking positive as well. Korea closed today and hong kong markets closed for the birthday holiday. Taking a look at oil because we are seeing a second day of gains for wti up, the 22 plus gain in the overnight session. We are seeing opening up here higher by over 6 in asia. This
Way better numbers anticipated coming through. This is in yuan terms. March exports thought to be down 12. 8 . Official number suggesting they were down just 3. 5 . Imports year on year from 7 . 2. 4 . Ht increase of that is what we have at the moment coming through with the latest data from china and the department. Lets have a look at what else is going on. Hong kong schools have been closed since late january. Little hope classes will be resuming soon amid this coronavirus. They wonder there could be an exodus of students. Issue with thehe hong kong education secretary, kevin yeung. Kevin good morning. Did theseow long schools stay closed, secretary . Kevin it is difficult to tell. Health of our students is always our first priority. Are stillage we monitoring closely the coronavirus,f the whether the situation in hong kong and other places in the world, before we could finally make a decision when our schools could resume. What needs to change for you to actually change your policy
Markets i treasuries as well. The aussie 10 year yield down 16 basis points and money rush into the end. Oil in a bit of a freefall once again. Brent crude down more than 6. 5 . We areke below 20 and watching indonesia here in particular just coming online. The stock index drops re. 5 . Once again, we are seeing a lot of these em volatilities, back once again. We are watching the pboc after that interesting move to cut the seven day repo rate by 20 basis points so they are joining in on the stimulus ways. Lets get more on this with david ingles coming forward. We are watching u. S. Futures in particular continue to head lower. Lets start with the 7 billion injection into the system. I mean, quite a bit. David yes. A couple of things i guess to get out there. You dont normally see a reduction of this magnitude from the pboc. You also have to consider the fact that we know the economy is not doing well and in fact, the latest forecasts now suggest quarter on quarter, you take the median.
Lets take a look at what is been helping foment further gains across the asiapacific. That is the futures contract for the s p up to tens, hang seng three tens of 1 . And the nikkei has buoyed a bit. Also the topix doing rather well. We have a cna a tad week. Looking at that as we do. Also the yen, and the boj. 41 day since the boj came in and bought a sizable chunk of stocks in the japanese market. Someat stealth tapering, people are arguing because the yield on the 10 years unchanged. The yield has been lurching lower eight basis points. Weekhas been put less a and see what is going on in regard to the haven stages. The learn not willing to look at and take on risk right now. This is of course after the Election Results or we saw the landslide victory when it comes to democratic camp. She was talking about how she is ready to listen and stands by previous stances on protest demands. People who felt that our government has not handled, deadly the legislative exercise and its aftermath
The Pacific Island of bogun ville votes in the hope of independence. And in support of rafael nadal doubles up so winning effect in front of his home crowd the world number one showing his fighting spirit to help spine advance to the davis cup before. We begin this news in burundi where elections are now 6 months away but there are concerns over security opposition leaders say theres a climate of fear and intimidation against those who are critical of the governing party the u. N. Has issued a warning but the government has told al jazeera that the election will be free and fair i was there as Catherine Sawyer reports now from commercial capital. Protected by when you can to cross memories of what happened 4 years ago the main flow for this man he tells us hes young son was. Shot by police while on his way to buy bread. Riot started in 215. Rounds and warn a 3rd tom but his opponents say it was unconstitutional street protests a failed coup vigilante like attacks and assassinations thr