SYDNEY, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Australian stocks are set for a
flat start on Monday in trading likely to be thinned in a
holiday-shortened week, though a strong U.S. dollar may keep
resources firms in check.
Nufarm may be in focus as the agricultural chemicals maker faces a Dec 23 deadline for China's Sinochem to say whether it is going ahead with its proposed A$ 2.8 billion ($2.5 billion) bid.
Stock index futures stood 16 points higher at 4,655, a 4.5 point premium to the 4,650.5 point close in the S&P/ASX 200 index on Friday.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index fell 0.2 percent to 3,147.4 in early trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2210 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1102.47 0.58% 6.390 USD/JPY 90.45 0.13% 0.120
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.5463 -
0.000 SPOT GOLD 1112.25 0.00% 0.000 US CRUDE 73.36 0.98% 0.710 DOW JONES 10328.89 0.20% 20.63 ASIA ADRS 125.58 0.44% 0.55
* Wall St gains in choppy trade; tech lifts Nasdaq
* Oil rises above $73 on Iran-Iraq tension, US cold snap
* Gold rises on inflation, safe-haven bid
* Copper gains late ground despite firmer dollar
For a digest of the day's business stories in Australian newspapers, double click on
((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234))
DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Australia diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead ................................................................ For latest top breaking news across all markets ................................................................ TOP NEWS SUMMARIES ON OTHER SUBJECTS | U.S. Companies | European Companies | | Forex | Global Economy | | Tech.Media,Telecoms | Banking, Financials | | Politics & General | Sports | ................................................................ MAJOR STOCK MARKET REPORTS New York Weekly outlook New York Pan-Europe Weekly outlook Europe London Weekly outlook London Tokyo ................................................................ ASIA STOCK MARKETS Pan-Asia...................... Bangkok...... Karachi........ S/east Asia. Bombay....... Kuala Lumpur... Sydney/NZ... China........ Seoul.......... Taipei...... Hong Kong.... Singapore...... Tokyo........ ................................................................ Access to some items may depend on subscription level. ................................................................ UP-TO-THE-MINUTE HEADLINES Company results Economic indicators Mergers & acquisitions Interest rates LIVE PRICES & DATA World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt HOW TO FIND INFORMATION YOU NEED | | | | | || | | | LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Australian dollar LME price overview ($1=1.123 Australian Dollar) Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA STOCKS (Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News, please visit http://topnews.reuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Nufarm may be in focus as the agricultural chemicals maker faces a Dec 23 deadline for China's Sinochem to say whether it is going ahead with its proposed A$ 2.8 billion ($2.5 billion) bid.
Stock index futures stood 16 points higher at 4,655, a 4.5 point premium to the 4,650.5 point close in the S&P/ASX 200 index on Friday.
New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index fell 0.2 percent to 3,147.4 in early trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2210 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1102.47 0.58% 6.390 USD/JPY 90.45 0.13% 0.120
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.5463 -
0.000 SPOT GOLD 1112.25 0.00% 0.000 US CRUDE 73.36 0.98% 0.710 DOW JONES 10328.89 0.20% 20.63 ASIA ADRS 125.58 0.44% 0.55
* Wall St gains in choppy trade; tech lifts Nasdaq
* Oil rises above $73 on Iran-Iraq tension, US cold snap
* Gold rises on inflation, safe-haven bid
* Copper gains late ground despite firmer dollar
For a digest of the day's business stories in Australian newspapers, double click on
((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234))
DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary & data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Australia diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead ................................................................ For latest top breaking news across all markets ................................................................ TOP NEWS SUMMARIES ON OTHER SUBJECTS | U.S. Companies | European Companies | | Forex | Global Economy | | Tech.Media,Telecoms | Banking, Financials | | Politics & General | Sports | ................................................................ MAJOR STOCK MARKET REPORTS New York Weekly outlook New York Pan-Europe Weekly outlook Europe London Weekly outlook London Tokyo ................................................................ ASIA STOCK MARKETS Pan-Asia...................... Bangkok...... Karachi........ S/east Asia. Bombay....... Kuala Lumpur... Sydney/NZ... China........ Seoul.......... Taipei...... Hong Kong.... Singapore...... Tokyo........ ................................................................ Access to some items may depend on subscription level. ................................................................ UP-TO-THE-MINUTE HEADLINES Company results Economic indicators Mergers & acquisitions Interest rates LIVE PRICES & DATA World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt HOW TO FIND INFORMATION YOU NEED | | | | | || | | | LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Currency rates Dow Jones/NASDAQ Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Australian dollar LME price overview ($1=1.123 Australian Dollar) Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA STOCKS (Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit http://topnews.session.rservices.com * BridgeStation: view story .134 For more information on Top News, please visit http://topnews.reuters.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.