WELLINGTON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Asian stocks are set for a mixed start on
Thursday, as euro zone debt worries resurfaced, denting investors' appetite
for risky assets.
The main Wall Street indices drifted as much as 0.4 percent lower, suffering from a third late-day selloff in a row, with analysts suggesting the market is finding it difficult to make gains as the year winds down.
Volume was low, with many institutional investors looking to lock in recent gains ahead of the year's end. The market has gained almost 11 percent this year.
Stocks suffered after rating agency Moody's warned Spain's debt-rating could be downgraded, fanning euro zone debt fears.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street fell 0.9 percent.
British shares slipped 0.2 percent after four days of gains, while European shares slipped 0.5 percent, as the Moody's warning hit financial stocks.
The U.S. dollar rose strongly against the euro, with the greenback also bolstered by data showing rising industrial production. The U.S. dollar also gained against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to open higher, cheered by the weaker yen. The Nikkei index has been caught in a tight range as domestic investors take profits, while foreign investors have been buying financial stocks seen as undervalued. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 75 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks are set to open a shade weaker, with share price index futures down 13 points to 4,757, a 10.8 point discount to the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index.
HEADLINES: > US Senate passes Obama's $858 billion tax-cut plan > Obama administr'n sues BP, others over Gulf spill > Wall St slips in another late sell-off, dlr gains > U.S. cites progress on trade issues with China > Spain receives debt warning before EU summit > U.S. production data points to sustained recovery > Twitter financing values company at $3.7 billion > Novartis wins Alcon with cash sweetener > U.S. leads rich-world recovery as Europe lags > Extreme weather sparks global commodities rally > Consumer group suing McDonald's over toys
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index -0.93
Dow Jones Industrial Average -0.17
Nasdaq Composite Index -0.40
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,375
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,300
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - Honda Motor Co brief on new electric scooter
HONG KONG - Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Co Ltd trading debut
- China COSCO Holdings Co Ltd meeting
- China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd meeting
AUSTRALIA - National Australia Bank annual meeting
INDIA - Reserve Bank of India mid-quarterly policy review
(Reporting by Adrian Bathgate)
((adrian.bathgate@reuters.com; +64-4-4714233; Reuters Messaging: adrian.bathgate.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 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.
The main Wall Street indices drifted as much as 0.4 percent lower, suffering from a third late-day selloff in a row, with analysts suggesting the market is finding it difficult to make gains as the year winds down.
Volume was low, with many institutional investors looking to lock in recent gains ahead of the year's end. The market has gained almost 11 percent this year.
Stocks suffered after rating agency Moody's warned Spain's debt-rating could be downgraded, fanning euro zone debt fears.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street fell 0.9 percent.
British shares slipped 0.2 percent after four days of gains, while European shares slipped 0.5 percent, as the Moody's warning hit financial stocks.
The U.S. dollar rose strongly against the euro, with the greenback also bolstered by data showing rising industrial production. The U.S. dollar also gained against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to open higher, cheered by the weaker yen. The Nikkei index has been caught in a tight range as domestic investors take profits, while foreign investors have been buying financial stocks seen as undervalued. Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 75 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks are set to open a shade weaker, with share price index futures down 13 points to 4,757, a 10.8 point discount to the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index.
HEADLINES: > US Senate passes Obama's $858 billion tax-cut plan > Obama administr'n sues BP, others over Gulf spill > Wall St slips in another late sell-off, dlr gains > U.S. cites progress on trade issues with China > Spain receives debt warning before EU summit > U.S. production data points to sustained recovery > Twitter financing values company at $3.7 billion > Novartis wins Alcon with cash sweetener > U.S. leads rich-world recovery as Europe lags > Extreme weather sparks global commodities rally > Consumer group suing McDonald's over toys
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index -0.93
Dow Jones Industrial Average -0.17
Nasdaq Composite Index -0.40
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,375
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,300
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - Honda Motor Co brief on new electric scooter
HONG KONG - Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Co Ltd trading debut
- China COSCO Holdings Co Ltd meeting
- China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd meeting
AUSTRALIA - National Australia Bank annual meeting
INDIA - Reserve Bank of India mid-quarterly policy review
(Reporting by Adrian Bathgate)
((adrian.bathgate@reuters.com; +64-4-4714233; Reuters Messaging: adrian.bathgate.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 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.