Global stocks mostly higher on higher oil, weaker yen
TOKYO - Global shares were higher Tuesday, as a jump in oil prices, a weaker yen and optimism on Wall Street helped to offset worries over China's growth.
France's CAC 40 added nearly 0.8 percent to 4,348.55 in early trading, while Germany's DAX rose 0.7 percent to 10,027.06. Britain's FTSE 100 gained 0.9 percent to 6,208.34.
U.S. markets looked set for a modestly lower open, with both Dow and S&P futures down 0.1 percent.
Shares on Wall Street were boosted by news that billionaire Warren Buffett had invested in Apple, triggering a 3.7 percent jump in that stock. Apple is the most heavily weighted member of the S&P 500 and so a rise in its stock has an outsize impact on the index.
U.S. interest rate policy could impact stocks this week. In addition to planned remarks from several Federal Reserve officials, the Fed is scheduled to release minutes of its last meeting on Wednesday. Investors will be looking for hints on central bank plans for raising interest rates.
"Markets seem to be in a relatively sweet spot with a steadily stronger U.S. dollar and resilient commodities prices. Many investors have been predicting a pullback in markets, but despite all the negativity, markets have continued to grind higher," Angus Nicholson of IG said in a note.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.1 percent to 16,652.80 as the yen continued to weaken, a plus for Japanese exporters. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.7 percent to 5,395.90. South Korea's Kospi was flat at 1,968.06. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.2 percent to 20,118.80, while the Shanghai Composite edged down 0.3 percent to 2,843.68.
U.S. crude rose 43 cents to $48.15 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It rose $1.51 on Monday to $47.72 a barrel. A plunge in oil prices since mid-2014 had hammered energy company earnings, and a recovery is good news for investor sentiment. Brent crude, used to price international oils, gained 3 cents to $49.00 a barrel in London.
The dollar rose to 109.48 yen from 108.90 yen and the euro rose to $1.1332 from $1.1306.