The U.S. central bank last week cut interest rates for the first time in more than four years, with more easing expected. High interest rates over the past two years have weighed on private equity firms’ financing costs, making leveraged buyouts trickier.
The dollar weakened in choppy trading on Thursday after a boost from healthy U.S. economic data faded, while the Swiss franc rose after the country’s central bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points.
Oil prices held on Friday but remained on track for a weekly fall as investors weighed expectations for increased output from Libya and the broader OPEC+ group against fresh stimulus from top importer China.
The more immediate boost came from China, where authorities are reportedly considering injecting up to 1 trillion yuan into the country’s largest state banks to help revive the struggling economy.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the India National Stock Exchange by 1273 to 1226 and 84 ended unchanged; on the Bombay Stock Exchange, 1883 fell and 1882 advanced, while 115 ended unchanged.
