Asia-Pacific markets lower after Wall Street snaps 2-day of gains

Japan -0.94%. Japan’s trade deficit for September was at 2.09 trillion yen ($13.97 billion), according to provisional figures from the government – missing estimated figures by a Reuters poll expecting a deficit of 2.17 trillion yen.The country reported a trade deficit of 2.82 trillion yen in August. Exports for the month of September were at 8.82 trillion yen, while imports were at 10.9 trillion yen.

China +0.80%. China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged for a second consecutive month, matching expectations by most analysts in a Reuters poll.

The People’s Bank of China said it would hold the one-year loan prime rate at 3.65%, and the five-year rate at 4.30%, according to an announcement.

Hong Kong -0.37%.

Australia -1.07%. The unemployment rate in Australia for September was unchanged from the previous month at 3.5%, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics – in line with expectations of analysts in a Reuters poll.

India -0.11%.

On Wall Street overnight, the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.85% to close at 10,680.51, while the S&P 500 declined 0.67% to 3,695.16. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 99.99 points, or 0.33%, to finish the day at 30,423.81.

Oil prices rallied on Thursday as markets shrugged off announcements that the United States will release more crude from its reserves.

Brent crude futures inched up 0.85%, or $0.80 to stand at $92.41 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose more than $1, or 1.45% to $85.55 per barrel.

U.S. futures mixed. Dow Jones +0.31%; S&P 500 +0.06%; Nasdaq -0.25%.