MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.9% to reach heights not visited since late 2007. Samsung Electronics led the gains to reach an all-time top as global demand for hi-tech gadgets remains strong, while healthcare and financial stocks also drew buyers. Against a basket of currencies, the dollar was idling at 91.869 .DXY and still uncomfortably close to the recent 2-1/2 year trough of 91.011. The modest bounce in the dollar combined with all the talk of monetary tightening put gold on the defensive. [O/R]Brent crude LCOc1 was up 7 cents at $55.69 a barrel, following gains of 3.3 percent last week.

Source: Dhaka Tribune September 18, 2017 09:00 UTC