Shares Hit Peaks before Central Bank Meetings

Markets are still calm ahead the storm of three central bank meetings this week; the Reserve Bank of Australia meets Tuesday, the Fed on Wednesday and the Bank of England Thursday. Global stock markets rose on Monday at the start of a big week for awaited central bank meetings, helped by bets regarding fiscal stimulus in Japan and undeterred by concerns of future interest rate hikes that have tempered bonds.

Wall Street shares hit record highs, led by a surging energy sector, before the benchmark S&P 500 index retreated slightly, whereas European shares also hit record highs following positive corporate earnings reports, while a surge in banking shares helped Eurozone markets remain buoyant.

The pan-European STOXX 600 gained 0.6%, surpassing its previous high reading in of August, as the global mood was supported by Japan’s post-election boost and stabilizing coal prices in China.
MSCI’s world equities index also rose 0.16% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.00%, the S&P 500 slid 0.12% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.17%.
Japan’s Nikkei rose 2.6% after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party won an unexpected comfortable victory, raising hopes for political stability and stimulus.