Asian equity markets are mixed this morning. Japanese indices are down sharply and China is close to unchanged but some other markets have posted decent gains. Chinese May trade numbers showed a combination of much weaker than expected export growth but stronger than forecast imports. Australian GDP rose by only 0.2% in Q1, its smallest rise since Q3 2021. German April industrial production posted only in a modest rise of 0.3% but March was revised up sharply although it still shows a drop of 2.1%. In the UK, the Halifax May house price index fell 1% from a year ago its first annual decline since 2012. The rest of ... (full story)