SYDNEY, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Australian stocks are set to open
flat after closing last week at an 8-1/2 month high. The big
miners are likely to be under pressure after China took steps to
rein in inflation.
* Stock index futures closed up 0.2 percent at 4,801.0, in line with the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The benchmark inched up 0.1 percent last Friday, led by gains in the banks.
* On Wall Street, the S&P 500 ended a seventh straight week of gains on Friday with a rally led by banks, after JPMorgan's fourth-quarter earnings came in stronger than expected.
* Copper made modest gains in London on Friday, but U.S. copper surged to near record levels on an improved U.S. economic outlook. Gold dropped 1 percent on Friday, marking its biggest two-week loss in nearly a year.
* China's central bank raised lenders' required reserves on Friday for the fourth time in just over two months to tame inflation. It has vowed fighting inflation will be a top priority for the year.
* The New South Wales state government holds an inquiry into the legality of last year's $5.3 billion sale of state-owned power retailers to Origin Energy and Hong Kong's CLP Holdings.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index picked up 4.7 points, or 0.1 percent, to reach 3,374.6 in early trade. ----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2137 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1293.24 0.74% 9.480 USD/JPY 82.8 0.18% 0.150
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.3309 -
0.000SPOT GOLD 1360.85 0.08% 1.050 US CRUDE 91.6 0.22% 0.140 DOW JONES 11787.38 0.47% 55.48 ASIA ADRS 144.64 0.09% 0.13
* Banks lead S&P 500 to seventh week of gains
* Brent scales $99 before expiry, U.S. oil rises
* Gold falls 1 pct after China's tightening
* Copper moves up with equities, better U.S. outlook
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 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 2011. 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 index futures closed up 0.2 percent at 4,801.0, in line with the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The benchmark inched up 0.1 percent last Friday, led by gains in the banks.
* On Wall Street, the S&P 500 ended a seventh straight week of gains on Friday with a rally led by banks, after JPMorgan's fourth-quarter earnings came in stronger than expected.
* Copper made modest gains in London on Friday, but U.S. copper surged to near record levels on an improved U.S. economic outlook. Gold dropped 1 percent on Friday, marking its biggest two-week loss in nearly a year.
* China's central bank raised lenders' required reserves on Friday for the fourth time in just over two months to tame inflation. It has vowed fighting inflation will be a top priority for the year.
* The New South Wales state government holds an inquiry into the legality of last year's $5.3 billion sale of state-owned power retailers to Origin Energy and Hong Kong's CLP Holdings.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index picked up 4.7 points, or 0.1 percent, to reach 3,374.6 in early trade. ----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2137 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1293.24 0.74% 9.480 USD/JPY 82.8 0.18% 0.150
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.3309 -
0.000SPOT GOLD 1360.85 0.08% 1.050 US CRUDE 91.6 0.22% 0.140 DOW JONES 11787.38 0.47% 55.48 ASIA ADRS 144.64 0.09% 0.13
* Banks lead S&P 500 to seventh week of gains
* Brent scales $99 before expiry, U.S. oil rises
* Gold falls 1 pct after China's tightening
* Copper moves up with equities, better U.S. outlook
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 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 2011. 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.