Japan's stock index gave up early gains and ended flat
US stocks were volatile during trading on Wednesday ahead of key economic data and earnings reports. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite fell 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 49 points, or 0.1%. Shares in US software company Okta fell 12% to $110.85 after the company kept its outlook unchanged, citing economic uncertainty.
Europe:
European stocks were mostly flat as investors waited for progress in the US-EU trade talks and the release of regional economic data.
The Stoxx 600 index was flat at 552.56 points during the trading session after rising for two consecutive trading days after US President Donald Trump withdrew his threat of additional tariffs on the EU.
EU policymakers have urgently asked major companies and CEOs to provide details of their investment plans in the US as the EU prepares for trade talks with the US, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
Germany's DAX index fell 0.29%. Previous data showed German import prices unexpectedly fell 0.4% year-on-year in April.
France's CAC 40 index fell 0.13% after first-quarter GDP showed modest growth as expected. Shares in retail and home-improvement company Kingfisher fell 2.3 percent after its first-quarter results fell short of investor expectations.
Japan
Japan's Nikkei stock average turned flat from a 1.2% gain as investors remained cautious. It closed at 37,722.40, almost flat, but still a three-day winning close.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange's Topix index rose slightly, up 0.02 points to 2,769.51. Japanese stocks were initially supported by a sharp weakening of the yen, which boosted overseas earnings for many of the country's major exporters.
But weak auctions for long-term government bonds led to yields rising again, weighing on sentiment.
Masahiro Ishikawa, senior market analyst at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management, said the Nikkei needs further support, such as further positive developments in U.S. tariff negotiations, to move firmly above 38,000 yen. He added that while the weak yen is supporting sentiment, "it cannot be said that the foreign exchange market is stable."
Advantest, a semiconductor testing equipment maker and supplier to Nvidia, continued to be the top gainer on the Nikkei average, closing up 1.6%.
Meanwhile, Tokyo Electron, a semiconductor manufacturing equipment maker, gave up early gains to fall 0.1%. Automakers were mixed at the end of the day after a strong start. Honda rose 1.3%, while Toyota reversed gains to fall 0.3%.
Nissan, one of the most volatile stocks in the trade, rose 4.6% in early afternoon trade after reports it plans to raise more than $7 billion to restructure its business. But it gave up those gains and closed down 0.3%.
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