WELLINGTON, March 23 (Reuters) - Asian stocks will probably
open firmer on Tuesday, as U.S. stocks rose on the passing of a
bill overhauling the healthcare system, ending months of
uncertainty for investors in the sector.
Wall Street closed higher led by drugmakers and health insurers, and analysts said although there were some concerns about the impact on company profits and costs much of the bad news was already priced in. For more see
Major drugmakers and Dow component companies Pfizer Inc and Merck added 1.4 percent to $17.15 and 0.6 percent to $38.30 respectively.
The Dow Industrial Average closed up 0.4 percent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 0.5 percent and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.9 percent.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.7 percent, while MSCI's measure of Asia Pacific stocks excluding Japan fell 1.3 percent.
British shares edged down on weaker oil stocks, while European stocks ended flat as banks pared earlier losses on uncertainty over a rescue package for debt-stricken Greece.
The euro recovered from three-week lows on an improvement in risk appetite, but was still under pressure ahead of a summit of European Union on Thursday and Friday, which will discuss aid to Greece. The greenback was largely unchanged against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to start a shade lower after being closed on Monday for a national holiday. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 30 points below Friday's closing level in Osaka .
Australian shares are seen opening stronger, with share price index futures up 26 points to 4,880, a 49.8 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close on Monday.
HEADLINES: > Google moves China search service to Hong Kong > U.S. healthcare overhaul faces new challenges > U.S. Senate panel passes financial reform bill > US shares give world markets lift, euro bounces > Merkel, EU partners in tug-of-war over Greek aid > Shell, Petrochina agree $3.1 bln Arrow takeover > Biogen reaches deal with Icahn, avoids proxy fight > Four Rio employees plead guilty on China bribes > Brazil's OSX down in first trading day after IPO > Obama pay czar to look back at Wall Street pay > China cenbanker says yuan issue 'complicated'
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.65
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.41
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.88
MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan -1.33
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,720
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,750
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see
JAPAN - Bank of Japan minutes of Feb 17-18 policy meeting
HONG KONG - Bank of China Ltd final results
news conference
- BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Ltd final
results
- Huaneng Power International Inc
final results
- Sinopharm Group Co Ltd final results
STH KOREA - Q2 industrial outlook, Federation of Korean
Industries
TAIWAN - Cathay Financial investor conference
((Wellington newsroom tel 64 4471 4234, fax +64 4 4736 212,
wellington.newsroom@reuters.com)) For top Asian company news, double click on: U.S. company news European company news U.S. weekly outlook European weekly outlook Forex news Global Economy news Tech/Telecoms/Media Banking news Political/General news Asia Macro data ASIA STOCK MARKETS: Pan-Asia........ Japan....... S.Korea... S.E. Asia....... Hong Kong... Taiwan.... Australia/NZ.... India....... China..... DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary/data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Hong Kong diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Asian Stocks Dow Jones/NASDAQ / Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Currency rates Keywords: MARKETS ASIA/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. 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.
Wall Street closed higher led by drugmakers and health insurers, and analysts said although there were some concerns about the impact on company profits and costs much of the bad news was already priced in. For more see
Major drugmakers and Dow component companies Pfizer Inc and Merck added 1.4 percent to $17.15 and 0.6 percent to $38.30 respectively.
The Dow Industrial Average closed up 0.4 percent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 0.5 percent and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index gained 0.9 percent.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.7 percent, while MSCI's measure of Asia Pacific stocks excluding Japan fell 1.3 percent.
British shares edged down on weaker oil stocks, while European stocks ended flat as banks pared earlier losses on uncertainty over a rescue package for debt-stricken Greece.
The euro recovered from three-week lows on an improvement in risk appetite, but was still under pressure ahead of a summit of European Union on Thursday and Friday, which will discuss aid to Greece. The greenback was largely unchanged against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to start a shade lower after being closed on Monday for a national holiday. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 30 points below Friday's closing level in Osaka .
Australian shares are seen opening stronger, with share price index futures up 26 points to 4,880, a 49.8 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close on Monday.
HEADLINES: > Google moves China search service to Hong Kong > U.S. healthcare overhaul faces new challenges > U.S. Senate panel passes financial reform bill > US shares give world markets lift, euro bounces > Merkel, EU partners in tug-of-war over Greek aid > Shell, Petrochina agree $3.1 bln Arrow takeover > Biogen reaches deal with Icahn, avoids proxy fight > Four Rio employees plead guilty on China bribes > Brazil's OSX down in first trading day after IPO > Obama pay czar to look back at Wall Street pay > China cenbanker says yuan issue 'complicated'
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.65
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.41
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.88
MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan -1.33
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,720
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,750
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see
JAPAN - Bank of Japan minutes of Feb 17-18 policy meeting
HONG KONG - Bank of China Ltd final results
news conference
- BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Ltd final
results
- Huaneng Power International Inc
final results
- Sinopharm Group Co Ltd final results
STH KOREA - Q2 industrial outlook, Federation of Korean
Industries
TAIWAN - Cathay Financial investor conference
((Wellington newsroom tel 64 4471 4234, fax +64 4 4736 212,
wellington.newsroom@reuters.com)) For top Asian company news, double click on: U.S. company news European company news U.S. weekly outlook European weekly outlook Forex news Global Economy news Tech/Telecoms/Media Banking news Political/General news Asia Macro data ASIA STOCK MARKETS: Pan-Asia........ Japan....... S.Korea... S.E. Asia....... Hong Kong... Taiwan.... Australia/NZ.... India....... China..... DIARIES & DATA: IPO diary/data Asia earnings diary U.S. earnings diary European diary Hong Kong diary Wall Street Week Ahead Eurostocks Week Ahead LIVE PRICES & DATA: World Stocks Asian Stocks Dow Jones/NASDAQ / Nikkei FTSE 100 Debt Currency rates Keywords: MARKETS ASIA/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. 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.