WELLINGTON, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Asian stocks are set for a
cautious start on Thursday as U.S. equities shrugged off a tepid
view of the economy from the Federal Reserve and looked to a
generally positive earnings season.
The main Wall Street indices rose as much as 0.7 percent, with the S&P 500 hitting its highest mark in almost two and a half years, helped by higher commodity prices.
Global growth prospects were seen stronger after U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on Wednesday.
Technology stocks led the gains on solid results from Juniper Networks and Fortinet
Gains in blue chip stocks were kept in check by a poor quarterly report from plane maker Boeing.
The Fed kept rates on hold as expected and said the sluggish economy and weak labour market justified keeping its $600 billion bond-buying programme in place until June. See
British shares rose 0.9 percent while European shares were up 0.8 percent as markets were cheered by Obama's state-of-the-union comments.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.23 percent.
The U.S. dollar fell against the euro after the Fed's statement, although it ticked higher against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to edge higher, with Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 35 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks may manage a firmer start on the back of higher commodity prices, with copper and gold gaining after the Fed's statement. Share price index futures are up 29 points to 4,794, a 13.8 point discount to the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Tuesday. The market was closed on Wednesday for a public holiday.
HEADLINES: > Fed cautious on recovery, focused on joblessness > S&P closes at 29-month high; techs, commods lead > Netflix profit up, adds subscribers;shares jump > Obama takes fiscal balancing act to US heartland > Starbucks forecast takes hit from coffee costs > BankUnited owners cash in big; FDIC nurses losses > China unveils new steps to cool property market > U.S. manufacturers rebounding, but still wary > U.S. airline results buoyed by recovery > Euro optimism builds, crisis strategy in focus > Mexico gets helping hand from costlier China labor
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.23
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.07
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.74
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,455
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,420
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - SMFG Q3 results
- Nippon Steel Corp Q3 results
- JFE Holdings Inc Q3 results
- Fujitsu results
HONG KONG - CNOOC Ltd conference on 2011 strategy
- Telefield International (Holdings) Ltd
Trading debut
- China Railway Group Ltd meeting
STH KOREA - Hynix Semidconductor Q4 results
INDIA - HDFC Bank Q3 results
AUSTRALIA - Macarthur Coal Dec quarter production
report
(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 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.
The main Wall Street indices rose as much as 0.7 percent, with the S&P 500 hitting its highest mark in almost two and a half years, helped by higher commodity prices.
Global growth prospects were seen stronger after U.S. President Barack Obama's speech on Wednesday.
Technology stocks led the gains on solid results from Juniper Networks and Fortinet
Gains in blue chip stocks were kept in check by a poor quarterly report from plane maker Boeing.
The Fed kept rates on hold as expected and said the sluggish economy and weak labour market justified keeping its $600 billion bond-buying programme in place until June. See
British shares rose 0.9 percent while European shares were up 0.8 percent as markets were cheered by Obama's state-of-the-union comments.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.23 percent.
The U.S. dollar fell against the euro after the Fed's statement, although it ticked higher against the yen.
Japanese markets are set to edge higher, with Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 35 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks may manage a firmer start on the back of higher commodity prices, with copper and gold gaining after the Fed's statement. Share price index futures are up 29 points to 4,794, a 13.8 point discount to the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Tuesday. The market was closed on Wednesday for a public holiday.
HEADLINES: > Fed cautious on recovery, focused on joblessness > S&P closes at 29-month high; techs, commods lead > Netflix profit up, adds subscribers;shares jump > Obama takes fiscal balancing act to US heartland > Starbucks forecast takes hit from coffee costs > BankUnited owners cash in big; FDIC nurses losses > China unveils new steps to cool property market > U.S. manufacturers rebounding, but still wary > U.S. airline results buoyed by recovery > Euro optimism builds, crisis strategy in focus > Mexico gets helping hand from costlier China labor
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.23
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.07
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.74
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,455
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,420
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - SMFG Q3 results
- Nippon Steel Corp Q3 results
- JFE Holdings Inc Q3 results
- Fujitsu results
HONG KONG - CNOOC Ltd conference on 2011 strategy
- Telefield International (Holdings) Ltd
Trading debut
- China Railway Group Ltd meeting
STH KOREA - Hynix Semidconductor Q4 results
INDIA - HDFC Bank Q3 results
AUSTRALIA - Macarthur Coal Dec quarter production
report
(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 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.