Oil dropped following signs that activity had resumed at the key Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, after a Ukrainian strike last week led to some damage and a suspension of operations.
Japan’s economy contracted for the first time in six quarters, supporting Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s case to compile an ambitious economic stimulus package.
Japan’s wholesale prices rose 2.7% in October from a year earlier, slowing from the previous month due in part to falling import costs, central bank data showed on Thursday.
U.S. light-vehicle sales slowed in October as the market absorbed the loss of key electric vehicle tax credits and a seasonal dip in consumer demand, according to preliminary data from GlobalData.
UK economic growth almost ground to a halt in the third quarter (3Q) after looming tax hikes and the Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack weighed on activity in September, piling more pressure on the Labour government ahead of a crucial budget on Nov 26.
Most Asian equities advanced on Thursday, with South Korean shares on a four-day rally, while regional currencies held steady after US President Donald Trump signed a bill ending the nation's longest government shutdown.