(Adds Sydney share outlook)
-----------------------(06:48 / 1948 GMT)----------------------
Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 4,896.89 +11.50 NZSX 50 3,240.48 +2.93
DJIA 10,850.36 +9.15 Nikkei 10,996.37 +167.52
NASDAQ 2,395.13 -2.28 FTSE 5,703.02 -24.63
S&P 500 1,166.59 +0.86 Hang Seng 20,778.55 +274.56
SPI 200 Fut 4,924.00 -2.00 CRB Index 267.32 -0.54
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 5.730 -0.005 US 10 YR Bond 3.851 +0.000
NZ 10 YR Bond 6.020 +0.000 US 30 YR Bond 4.747 +0.000
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.9059 0.9105 NZD US$ 0.7056 0.7076
EUR US$ 1.3483 1.3334 Yen US$ 92.19 92.47
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1096.50 Silver (Lon) 16.850
Gold (NY) 1106.75 Light Crude 80.00
Overnight market action to New York close on Friday.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - The Dow and S&P ended flat on Friday, giving back earlier gains after the sinking of a South Korean naval ship, while tech shares' weakness kept the Nasdaq in slightly negative territory.
Stocks initially rose after European Union leaders said they had agreed on a standby aid package for Greece, and after better-than-expected March consumer sentiment data.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.15 points, or 0.08 percent, to end at 10,850.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index inched up just 0.86 point, or 0.07 percent, to 1,166.59. But the Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 2.28 points, or 0.10 percent, to close at 2,395.13.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
LONDON - Britain's top share index was down 0.4 percent by the close on Friday, with energy stocks dented by lower crude prices and banks retreating after recent gains while defensive stocks also took a beating.
The FTSE 100 ended down 24.63 points at 5,703.02, having finished above 5,700 for the first time since June 2008 on Thursday. The index is up 6.5 percent this month and has risen for each of the last four weeks.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average climbed 1.6 percent to its highest close in 18 months on Friday as recent weakness in the yen buoyed exporters, and helped by investors looking to secure dividends before the financial year end.
Tokyo shares have gotten off to a solid start in the first quarter after lagging overseas indexes last year.
The Nikkei climbed 1.6 percent to 10,996.37, its highest close since early October 2008. It also also hit an
18
month intraday high of 11,001.59.
The broader Topix index rose 1.5 percent to 966.72.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY - Australian shares are set for a positive start on Friday, with strength in metal prices likely to overcome the weak lead from Wall Street.
Share price index futures slipped 2 points to 4924, a 27.1 point premium to the underlying index close on Friday.
- - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The euro gained on Friday after euro-zone leaders agreed on a financial safety net for Greece, but uncertainties remained over the country's ability to repay debt.
Euro-zone policy-makers agreed on an aid package under which Greece would receive both bilateral loans from euro-zone partners and funding from the International Monetary Fund if it faced severe difficulties. For details, see
The plan did not alleviate longer-term worries about Greece and other fiscally vulnerable economies in the region, such as Portugal and Spain. That curbed euro gains.
In late afternoon trading in New York, the euro was up 1.1 percent against the dollar at $1.3418, off the low of the day of $1.3268 and just below the session peak of $1.3422 at current prices, according to Reuters data.
The greenback fell 0.2 percent to 92.46 yen after touching its highest level against the Japanese currency since early January on Thursday. Meanwhile, the euro advanced 0.9 percent to 124.08 yen.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury debt prices edged higher on Friday, pulling benchmark yields down from nine-month highs, as the market attempted to stabilize after a series of poorly bid debt auctions pummeled the bond market.
This week's $118 billion trio of auctions rekindled fears over the burgeoning U.S. debt, especially after benchmark 10-year notes began trading at a discount to private sector credit in the interest rate swap market.
U.S. benchmark 10-year notes were last trading up
6/32 in price to yield 3.86 percent. During Thursday's sell
off, yields rose as far as 3.9282 percent, the highest since June 2009, according to Reuters.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold rose on Friday, reclaiming $1,100 an ounce as a euro rally on a Greece aid deal boosted investor sentiment, and the market is expected to take trading cues from the currency market.
Spot gold was at $1,102.75 an ounce at 1:44 p.m. EDT (1744 GMT), against $1,090.35 late in New York on Thursday.
U.S. April gold futures on the COMEX division of the NYMEX settled up $11.40, or 1 percent, at $1,104.30.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
NEW YORK/LONDON - Copper stayed bullish in late business on Friday, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar after euro zone leaders agreed to help debt-laden Greece while U.S. data signaled economic recovery was on track.
Copper for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division closed up 2.25 cents at $3.4030 per lb, its lowest level on a settlement basis since late January.
In after-hours trade, it was holding up at $3.4055.
On the London Metal Exchange, copper for three-month delivery hit a session high of $7,570 per tonne, before ending at $7,514 a tonne from $7,435 at the close on Thursday. In late trade, it was steady at $7,515.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil prices fell below $80 a barrel on Friday after data showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected last quarter, and a plan to bail out Greece from a fiscal crisis failed to quell concern over fragile economic recovery.
U.S. crude for May delivery settled at $80.00 per barrel, down 53 cents, reversing gains earlier in the day.
ICE Brent settled at $79.29, down 32 cents.
For a full report, double click on
- - - - ((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234)) Keywords: MORNINGCALL/ (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
-----------------------(06:48 / 1948 GMT)----------------------
Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 4,896.89 +11.50 NZSX 50 3,240.48 +2.93
DJIA 10,850.36 +9.15 Nikkei 10,996.37 +167.52
NASDAQ 2,395.13 -2.28 FTSE 5,703.02 -24.63
S&P 500 1,166.59 +0.86 Hang Seng 20,778.55 +274.56
SPI 200 Fut 4,924.00 -2.00 CRB Index 267.32 -0.54
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 5.730 -0.005 US 10 YR Bond 3.851 +0.000
NZ 10 YR Bond 6.020 +0.000 US 30 YR Bond 4.747 +0.000
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.9059 0.9105 NZD US$ 0.7056 0.7076
EUR US$ 1.3483 1.3334 Yen US$ 92.19 92.47
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1096.50 Silver (Lon) 16.850
Gold (NY) 1106.75 Light Crude 80.00
Overnight market action to New York close on Friday.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - The Dow and S&P ended flat on Friday, giving back earlier gains after the sinking of a South Korean naval ship, while tech shares' weakness kept the Nasdaq in slightly negative territory.
Stocks initially rose after European Union leaders said they had agreed on a standby aid package for Greece, and after better-than-expected March consumer sentiment data.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 9.15 points, or 0.08 percent, to end at 10,850.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index inched up just 0.86 point, or 0.07 percent, to 1,166.59. But the Nasdaq Composite Index slipped 2.28 points, or 0.10 percent, to close at 2,395.13.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
LONDON - Britain's top share index was down 0.4 percent by the close on Friday, with energy stocks dented by lower crude prices and banks retreating after recent gains while defensive stocks also took a beating.
The FTSE 100 ended down 24.63 points at 5,703.02, having finished above 5,700 for the first time since June 2008 on Thursday. The index is up 6.5 percent this month and has risen for each of the last four weeks.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei average climbed 1.6 percent to its highest close in 18 months on Friday as recent weakness in the yen buoyed exporters, and helped by investors looking to secure dividends before the financial year end.
Tokyo shares have gotten off to a solid start in the first quarter after lagging overseas indexes last year.
The Nikkei climbed 1.6 percent to 10,996.37, its highest close since early October 2008. It also also hit an
18
month intraday high of 11,001.59.
The broader Topix index rose 1.5 percent to 966.72.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY - Australian shares are set for a positive start on Friday, with strength in metal prices likely to overcome the weak lead from Wall Street.
Share price index futures slipped 2 points to 4924, a 27.1 point premium to the underlying index close on Friday.
- - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The euro gained on Friday after euro-zone leaders agreed on a financial safety net for Greece, but uncertainties remained over the country's ability to repay debt.
Euro-zone policy-makers agreed on an aid package under which Greece would receive both bilateral loans from euro-zone partners and funding from the International Monetary Fund if it faced severe difficulties. For details, see
The plan did not alleviate longer-term worries about Greece and other fiscally vulnerable economies in the region, such as Portugal and Spain. That curbed euro gains.
In late afternoon trading in New York, the euro was up 1.1 percent against the dollar at $1.3418, off the low of the day of $1.3268 and just below the session peak of $1.3422 at current prices, according to Reuters data.
The greenback fell 0.2 percent to 92.46 yen after touching its highest level against the Japanese currency since early January on Thursday. Meanwhile, the euro advanced 0.9 percent to 124.08 yen.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury debt prices edged higher on Friday, pulling benchmark yields down from nine-month highs, as the market attempted to stabilize after a series of poorly bid debt auctions pummeled the bond market.
This week's $118 billion trio of auctions rekindled fears over the burgeoning U.S. debt, especially after benchmark 10-year notes began trading at a discount to private sector credit in the interest rate swap market.
U.S. benchmark 10-year notes were last trading up
6/32 in price to yield 3.86 percent. During Thursday's sell
off, yields rose as far as 3.9282 percent, the highest since June 2009, according to Reuters.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold rose on Friday, reclaiming $1,100 an ounce as a euro rally on a Greece aid deal boosted investor sentiment, and the market is expected to take trading cues from the currency market.
Spot gold was at $1,102.75 an ounce at 1:44 p.m. EDT (1744 GMT), against $1,090.35 late in New York on Thursday.
U.S. April gold futures on the COMEX division of the NYMEX settled up $11.40, or 1 percent, at $1,104.30.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
NEW YORK/LONDON - Copper stayed bullish in late business on Friday, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar after euro zone leaders agreed to help debt-laden Greece while U.S. data signaled economic recovery was on track.
Copper for May delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange's COMEX division closed up 2.25 cents at $3.4030 per lb, its lowest level on a settlement basis since late January.
In after-hours trade, it was holding up at $3.4055.
On the London Metal Exchange, copper for three-month delivery hit a session high of $7,570 per tonne, before ending at $7,514 a tonne from $7,435 at the close on Thursday. In late trade, it was steady at $7,515.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil prices fell below $80 a barrel on Friday after data showed the U.S. economy grew less than expected last quarter, and a plan to bail out Greece from a fiscal crisis failed to quell concern over fragile economic recovery.
U.S. crude for May delivery settled at $80.00 per barrel, down 53 cents, reversing gains earlier in the day.
ICE Brent settled at $79.29, down 32 cents.
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 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.