SYDNEY, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Australian shares are set to open
lower as sour U.S. Housing data and disappointing results from
Goldman Sachs deflate investor sentiment.
* Stock index futures fell 1 percent to 4,779, a 55.6 points discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index, which climbed 0.7 percent on Wednesday.
* The S&P 500 suffered its biggest decline in nearly two months on Wednesday as disappointing results put a damper on the rally.
* Global miner BHP Billiton will be watched after it posted a 4 percent rise in quarterly iron ore output to meet rising demand for industrial raw materials but coal production underperformed due to flooding in Australia..
* No.3 iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group will also be watched after Temasek Holdings was said to be selling its entire 4 percent stake in the firm at a 4.3 to 6 percent discount to raise up to $877 million.
* Top investment bank Macquarie Group will catch investor attention after Goldman Sachs trading revenue tumbled. Macquarie last year gave profit warnings blaming tough trading conditions.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index slipped 0.1 percent to 3,342.43 points in early trade. Data showed New Zealand's annual inflation rate jumped to the highest level in more than 2 years in the fourth quarter.
* Copper retreated from a fresh record high in London on Wednesday, as profit-taking pressures mounted in response to weak U.S. equities and another large build in London inventories.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2207 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1281.92 -1.01% -13.100 USD/JPY 82.01 0.06% 0.050
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.337 --
0.033SPOT GOLD 1369.36 -0.05% -0.690 US CRUDE 90.63 -0.82% -0.750 DOW JONES 11825.29 -0.11% -12.64 ASIA ADRS 144.25 -0.25% -0.36
* Wall St has worst drop in 2 months on banks, tech
* U.S. crude dips, post-settle, on API stock build
* Gold gains for third day; platinum at 30-mth high
* Copper ends down in profit-taking slide from record
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 fell 1 percent to 4,779, a 55.6 points discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index, which climbed 0.7 percent on Wednesday.
* The S&P 500 suffered its biggest decline in nearly two months on Wednesday as disappointing results put a damper on the rally.
* Global miner BHP Billiton will be watched after it posted a 4 percent rise in quarterly iron ore output to meet rising demand for industrial raw materials but coal production underperformed due to flooding in Australia..
* No.3 iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group will also be watched after Temasek Holdings was said to be selling its entire 4 percent stake in the firm at a 4.3 to 6 percent discount to raise up to $877 million.
* Top investment bank Macquarie Group will catch investor attention after Goldman Sachs trading revenue tumbled. Macquarie last year gave profit warnings blaming tough trading conditions.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index slipped 0.1 percent to 3,342.43 points in early trade. Data showed New Zealand's annual inflation rate jumped to the highest level in more than 2 years in the fourth quarter.
* Copper retreated from a fresh record high in London on Wednesday, as profit-taking pressures mounted in response to weak U.S. equities and another large build in London inventories.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2207 GMT ------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1281.92 -1.01% -13.100 USD/JPY 82.01 0.06% 0.050
10-YR US TSY YLD 3.337 --
0.033SPOT GOLD 1369.36 -0.05% -0.690 US CRUDE 90.63 -0.82% -0.750 DOW JONES 11825.29 -0.11% -12.64 ASIA ADRS 144.25 -0.25% -0.36
* Wall St has worst drop in 2 months on banks, tech
* U.S. crude dips, post-settle, on API stock build
* Gold gains for third day; platinum at 30-mth high
* Copper ends down in profit-taking slide from record
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.