Investing.com - Asian Pacific stock indices are poised for a shaky start on Thursday, following a mixed session on Wall Street. Investors find themselves grappling with the effects of escalating oil prices, the looming threat of a U.S. governmental shutdown, and intensifying labor disputes, predominantly involving the United Auto Workers union.
The ability of the Federal Reserve to successfully curb inflation and slow down growth, whilst preventing a recession, is increasingly being called into question. By 9:45am AEST, ASX 200 Futures had decreased by 0.2%, recovering slightly from a previous 40-point dip.
Investor focus today is set on August's retail sales results, due at 11.30am. Additionally, Brickworks and Washington H Soul Pattinson are slated to release their earnings reports, as per Commsec. Several companies, including BHP (ASX:BHP), Commonwealth Bank, Fortescue (ASX:FMG) Metals, Santos, Woodside Energy, and Telstra, are expected to pay dividends.
Overseas data to be published includes Eurozone's consumer and economic confidence for September, Germany's September Consumer Price Index, UK's nationwide house prices for September, and U.S.'s GDP annualized third estimate for the second quarter.
Marko Kolanovic, JP Morgan's chief strategist, predicts increased market volatility. According to him, the VIX index's levels from earlier this summer were a technical aberration rather than a reflection of macro fundamentals.
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) anticipates a 90% chance of a U.S. government shutdown that could last from two to three weeks. Even if Congress manages to pass a short-term extension, Goldman Sachs still expects a shutdown later in the fourth quarter.
The Australian dollar dipped by 0.7% after hitting new yearly lows overnight, while the Thai Baht and Korean Won each increased by 0.1%.
Bitcoin saw a slight increase of 0.4% on bitstamp.net as of 7.12am AEST, while the yield on the U.S. 10-year note jumped 8 basis points to 4.61%.