SYDNEY, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set to open
higher on Wednesday after Apple Inc smashed Wall
Street's sales forecasts following the U.S. market close, adding
to positive sentiment as concerns over Europe's debt crisis
ease.
* Stock index futures rose 17.0 points to 4,796, a 5.8 point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The index rose 0.8 percent on Tuesday.
* Fund managers are predicting a return to confidence as fears about Europe's debt problems ease and with strong commodity prices forecast to continue.
* Base metals prices rose overnight and may buoy mining stocks. Shares in Rio Tinto, which released quarterly production figures in the previous session, and BHP Billiton rose in London trade overnight.
* Rising oil prices could eat into earnings for companies like Qantas Airways and may be a drag for some stocks.
* U.S. stocks gained on Tuesday, overcoming weak Citigroup results as investors focused on increased price targets for Google. Apple Inc also reported better-than-expected results, sending its shares up 4 percent in after-hours trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2215 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1295.02 0.14% 1.780 USD/JPY 82.58 -0.01% -0.010
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.37 -
0.039SPOT GOLD 1367.25 -0.02% -0.240 US CRUDE 91.26 -0.31% -0.280 DOW JONES 11837.93 0.43% 50.55 ASIA ADRS 144.61 -0.02% -0.03
* U.S. stocks up as Google, Caterpillar offset Apple drop
* Brent rises on supply issues while U.S. oil slips
* Gold rises on Asian demand, dollar decline
* Copper ends firm on improved economic 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 rose 17.0 points to 4,796, a 5.8 point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index . The index rose 0.8 percent on Tuesday.
* Fund managers are predicting a return to confidence as fears about Europe's debt problems ease and with strong commodity prices forecast to continue.
* Base metals prices rose overnight and may buoy mining stocks. Shares in Rio Tinto, which released quarterly production figures in the previous session, and BHP Billiton rose in London trade overnight.
* Rising oil prices could eat into earnings for companies like Qantas Airways and may be a drag for some stocks.
* U.S. stocks gained on Tuesday, overcoming weak Citigroup results as investors focused on increased price targets for Google. Apple Inc also reported better-than-expected results, sending its shares up 4 percent in after-hours trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2215 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1295.02 0.14% 1.780 USD/JPY 82.58 -0.01% -0.010
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.37 -
0.039SPOT GOLD 1367.25 -0.02% -0.240 US CRUDE 91.26 -0.31% -0.280 DOW JONES 11837.93 0.43% 50.55 ASIA ADRS 144.61 -0.02% -0.03
* U.S. stocks up as Google, Caterpillar offset Apple drop
* Brent rises on supply issues while U.S. oil slips
* Gold rises on Asian demand, dollar decline
* Copper ends firm on improved economic 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.