-----------------------(14:47 / 0247 GMT)-----------------------
Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 4,089.80 +25.70 NZSX 50 2,961.17 +42.54
DJIA 9,093.24 +23.95 Nikkei 9,944.55 +151.61
NASDAQ 1,965.96 -7.64 FTSE 4,576.61 +16.81
S&P 500 0,979.26 +2.97 Hang Seng 19,817.70 +165.09
SPI 200 Fut 4,091.00 +26.00 CRB Index 251.91 +0.64
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 94.360 -0.010 US 10 YR Bond 3.658 +0.000
NZ 10 YR Bond 4.800 +0.020 US 30 YR Bond 4.543 +0.000
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.8171 0.8160 NZD US$ 0.6555 0.6560
EUR US$ 1.4202 1.4198 Yen US$ 94.77 94.76
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 951.50 Silver (Lon) 13.780
Gold (NY) 950.15 Light Crude 68.11
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - The Nasdaq fell on Friday, halting a 12-day run-up, following Microsoft Corp's disappointing quarterly results, but gains in pharmaceutical and energy shares lifted the Dow and the S&P 500 to fresh 8-month closing highs.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 23.95 points, or 0.26 percent, to 9,093.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index advanced 2.97 points, or 0.30 percent, to 979.26. But the Nasdaq Composite Index shed 7.64 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,965.96.
For a full report, double click on
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LONDON - A rally in banking and energy shares helped UK equities to rise for a 10th straight session to a 6-1/2-month closing high on Friday, but gains were capped by weakness on Wall Street and poor UK economic data.
The FTSE 100 index ended up 0.4 percent, or 16.81 points, at 4,576.61, its highest closing level since January 7. The index has risen almost 11 percent over the past two weeks on reassuring U.S. corporate earnings results.
It is up 32 percent since a trough in March, with Friday's gains being its longest positive run in five-and-a-half years.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1.6 percent on Friday, gaining for an eighth straight day, after upbeat corporate earnings fuelled hopes for a U.S. economic recovery and chip equipment stocks climbed on strong order data.
The benchmark Nikkei ended 151.61 points higher at 9,944.55, its highest close since June 30.
It has surged almost 10 percent in its eight-day rally, its longest run since September 2005. On the week, it climbed 5.8 percent, its biggest weekly jump since late March.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to open flat on Monday following a mixed showing on Wall Street on Friday.
September share price index futrues rose 26 points to 4,091, a 1.2 point premium to the close in the physical index which closed at 4,089.8 on Friday.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The dollar fell against the euro on Friday as figures showing a stabilizing euro zone economy and a good week for the U.S. stock market eroded demand for the greenback as a safe haven.
Higher-yielding, commodity-based currencies such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars rose as investors took on more risk. But sterling, which typically benefits from higher risk appetite, fell after data showed the UK economy contracted far more than expected in the second quarter.
Solid corporate earnings and U.S. housing data have boosted optimism about the economy this week and sparked a rally in U.S. stocks, which took the Dow industrials above 9,000 for the first time since early January on Thursday.
In late trading in New York, the euro rose 0.4 percent to $1.4211, after climbing as high as $1.4253, near a seven-week high of $1.4291 hit on Thursday, according to Reuters data.
The euro got a lift after the Ifo German business sentiment index rose for a fourth month running to its highest since October 2008, while initial estimates showed the euro zone services and manufacturing sectors contracted much less sharply than expected in July. For stories see and .
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury prices were little changed on Friday, as a choppy stock market revived some safety bids for bonds, offsetting worries over next week's record $115 billion supply of longer-dated debt.
Shorter-dated Treasuries fared better than longer maturities, as traders unwound bets against shorter-dated debt in advance of next week's auctions, investors said.
The benchmark 10-year note was unchanged in price, yielding 3.67 percent after trading in a tight range of 6 basis points. The yield was 3.65 percent a week earlier.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK/LONDON - Gold futures ended slightly lower but held above $950 an ounce on Friday as investors took profits, but inflation concerns amid economic optimism should continue to stir investment demand.
Even though the price of gold did not rally further this week, bullion should be well supported at current levels because of dollar weakness and risk-aversion demand amid lingering uncertainty for the financial markets, analysts said.
U.S. August futures settled down $1.70 at $953.10 an ounce on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Spot gold traded at $951.05 at 2:51 p.m. EDT (1851 GMT) against $947.15 in its previous session finish.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
NEW YORK/LONDON - Copper settled a touch lower on Friday, consolidating after nine-month highs and a 4 percent gain on the week, but strong investor confidence in the economy means the rally is not over, analysts said.
U.S. copper futures for September settled down 0.20 cent, or 0.08 percent, at $2.5220 a lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division.
On the London Metal Exchange, copper for delivery in three months ended down $10 at $5,520 a tonne.
The lower close came after the metal used in construction and power generation hit nine-month highs in both New York and London, touching $2.5440 a lb on COMEX and $5,575 a tonne on the LME.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil rose to top $68 a barrel on Friday on optimism a turnaround in the global economy would lift battered fuel demand.
U.S. crude settled up 89 cents at $68.05 a barrel, the highest settlement since July 1. The gains extended a rally that has pushed prices up more than 14 percent since July 14.
London Brent crude rose $1.07 to settle at $70.32 a barrel, after topping $70 a barrel for the first time since July 1 earlier.
For a full report, double click on
- - - - ((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234)) Keywords: MORNINGCALL/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 4,089.80 +25.70 NZSX 50 2,961.17 +42.54
DJIA 9,093.24 +23.95 Nikkei 9,944.55 +151.61
NASDAQ 1,965.96 -7.64 FTSE 4,576.61 +16.81
S&P 500 0,979.26 +2.97 Hang Seng 19,817.70 +165.09
SPI 200 Fut 4,091.00 +26.00 CRB Index 251.91 +0.64
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 94.360 -0.010 US 10 YR Bond 3.658 +0.000
NZ 10 YR Bond 4.800 +0.020 US 30 YR Bond 4.543 +0.000
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.8171 0.8160 NZD US$ 0.6555 0.6560
EUR US$ 1.4202 1.4198 Yen US$ 94.77 94.76
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 951.50 Silver (Lon) 13.780
Gold (NY) 950.15 Light Crude 68.11
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - The Nasdaq fell on Friday, halting a 12-day run-up, following Microsoft Corp's disappointing quarterly results, but gains in pharmaceutical and energy shares lifted the Dow and the S&P 500 to fresh 8-month closing highs.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 23.95 points, or 0.26 percent, to 9,093.24. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index advanced 2.97 points, or 0.30 percent, to 979.26. But the Nasdaq Composite Index shed 7.64 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,965.96.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
LONDON - A rally in banking and energy shares helped UK equities to rise for a 10th straight session to a 6-1/2-month closing high on Friday, but gains were capped by weakness on Wall Street and poor UK economic data.
The FTSE 100 index ended up 0.4 percent, or 16.81 points, at 4,576.61, its highest closing level since January 7. The index has risen almost 11 percent over the past two weeks on reassuring U.S. corporate earnings results.
It is up 32 percent since a trough in March, with Friday's gains being its longest positive run in five-and-a-half years.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1.6 percent on Friday, gaining for an eighth straight day, after upbeat corporate earnings fuelled hopes for a U.S. economic recovery and chip equipment stocks climbed on strong order data.
The benchmark Nikkei ended 151.61 points higher at 9,944.55, its highest close since June 30.
It has surged almost 10 percent in its eight-day rally, its longest run since September 2005. On the week, it climbed 5.8 percent, its biggest weekly jump since late March.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to open flat on Monday following a mixed showing on Wall Street on Friday.
September share price index futrues rose 26 points to 4,091, a 1.2 point premium to the close in the physical index which closed at 4,089.8 on Friday.
- - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The dollar fell against the euro on Friday as figures showing a stabilizing euro zone economy and a good week for the U.S. stock market eroded demand for the greenback as a safe haven.
Higher-yielding, commodity-based currencies such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars rose as investors took on more risk. But sterling, which typically benefits from higher risk appetite, fell after data showed the UK economy contracted far more than expected in the second quarter.
Solid corporate earnings and U.S. housing data have boosted optimism about the economy this week and sparked a rally in U.S. stocks, which took the Dow industrials above 9,000 for the first time since early January on Thursday.
In late trading in New York, the euro rose 0.4 percent to $1.4211, after climbing as high as $1.4253, near a seven-week high of $1.4291 hit on Thursday, according to Reuters data.
The euro got a lift after the Ifo German business sentiment index rose for a fourth month running to its highest since October 2008, while initial estimates showed the euro zone services and manufacturing sectors contracted much less sharply than expected in July. For stories see and .
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury prices were little changed on Friday, as a choppy stock market revived some safety bids for bonds, offsetting worries over next week's record $115 billion supply of longer-dated debt.
Shorter-dated Treasuries fared better than longer maturities, as traders unwound bets against shorter-dated debt in advance of next week's auctions, investors said.
The benchmark 10-year note was unchanged in price, yielding 3.67 percent after trading in a tight range of 6 basis points. The yield was 3.65 percent a week earlier.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK/LONDON - Gold futures ended slightly lower but held above $950 an ounce on Friday as investors took profits, but inflation concerns amid economic optimism should continue to stir investment demand.
Even though the price of gold did not rally further this week, bullion should be well supported at current levels because of dollar weakness and risk-aversion demand amid lingering uncertainty for the financial markets, analysts said.
U.S. August futures settled down $1.70 at $953.10 an ounce on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Spot gold traded at $951.05 at 2:51 p.m. EDT (1851 GMT) against $947.15 in its previous session finish.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
NEW YORK/LONDON - Copper settled a touch lower on Friday, consolidating after nine-month highs and a 4 percent gain on the week, but strong investor confidence in the economy means the rally is not over, analysts said.
U.S. copper futures for September settled down 0.20 cent, or 0.08 percent, at $2.5220 a lb on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division.
On the London Metal Exchange, copper for delivery in three months ended down $10 at $5,520 a tonne.
The lower close came after the metal used in construction and power generation hit nine-month highs in both New York and London, touching $2.5440 a lb on COMEX and $5,575 a tonne on the LME.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil rose to top $68 a barrel on Friday on optimism a turnaround in the global economy would lift battered fuel demand.
U.S. crude settled up 89 cents at $68.05 a barrel, the highest settlement since July 1. The gains extended a rally that has pushed prices up more than 14 percent since July 14.
London Brent crude rose $1.07 to settle at $70.32 a barrel, after topping $70 a barrel for the first time since July 1 earlier.
For a full report, double click on
- - - - ((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234)) Keywords: MORNINGCALL/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.