Live Markets-More oil is flowing, depending on who you ask

The drop in oil prices helped lift most share markets, though liquidity was light with Japan on a three-day break. Tech led South Korea up more than 1%, while Nasdaq futures added 0.6% and S&P 500 futures 0.4%.

European share futures also nudged higher, with no sign as yet of any drag from news Chancellor Friedrich Merz's mainstream conservative party had suffered its worst election results since 1949. The euro was also steady at $1.1484 EUR=EBS, while the dollar drifted under 157.00 yen amid concerns the Bank of Japan might take advantage of the lack of liquidity to intervene in support of its currency.

The yen jumped on Friday after Japanese authorities conducted rate checks in the currency market, the Nikkei newspaper reported.