Asian markets were mixed on Monday as the first full week of 2015 got under way, while the euro hit a nine-year low against the dollar at one point on growing expectations of fresh European Central Bank stimulus.
Oil extended its losses to sit at five-and-a-half-year lows due to signs of further weakening in the eurozone economy, with both contracts falling towards US$50 a barrel.
Tokyo slipped 0.68 per cent by the break, Hong Kong lost 0.70 per cent, Shanghai gained 0.74 per cent, Sydney added 0.24 per cent and Seoul was 0.91 per cent lower.
The year got off to a tentative start after a broadly positive end to 2014 for most markets.
While there are few catalysts to drive business this week, eyes will be on the release on Friday of US jobs data. Traders are already in broad agreement that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates around the middle of the year and another strong batch of employment figures will reinforce that view.
SINGAPORE share prices opened lower on Monday with the Straits Times Index down 5.48 points to 3,365.11.
Volume was 23.4 million shares valued at S$22.3 million.
Gainers outnumbered losers 51 to 46.
The U.S. dollar soared Friday, building on big gains scored in 2014, on expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates while the European Central Bank and Bank of Japan continue to loosen monetary policy in the year ahead.
The ICE dollar index DXY, +0.97% rose to 91.11, up from 90.27 in late North American trade on Wednesday and marking its highest level since March 2006, according to FactSet data. The index rose almost 13% in 2014, to mark its best yearly gain since 2005.
The shared currency EURUSD, +0.00% fell to $1.2001, down from $1.2099 on Wednesday, its lowest level since 2010.
The pound GBPUSD, +0.00% changed hands at $1.5334, down from $1.5578. The Australian dollar AUDUSD, +0.00% fell to 80.84 U.S. cents, compared with 81.81 cents on Wednesday.
