WELLINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Asian stocks are set to rise
on Thursday as strong earnings lifted global markets, however
gains could be tempered by rising political tensions in the
Middle East.
The main Wall Street indices added between 0.5 percent and 0.8 percent, as strong earnings and corporate activity breathed new life into the market's rally.
The U.S. dollar fell while on news Iranian warships were headed to Syria, sending oil higher along with safe-haven currencies such as the Swiss Franc.
Dell Inc, the world's No. 2 personal computer maker, smashed expectations with its earnings, sending its shares up 11.9 percent.
The merger activity covered both sides of the Atlantic, as activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Group offered to acquire Family Dollar Stores Inc, and French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA agreed to buy Genzyme Corp.
British shares rose 0.8 percent while European shares gained 0.5 percent with banks leading the charge on strong results from Societe Generale.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.75 percent.
Japanese markets, which hit a nine-month high on Wednesday, will draw comfort from foreign investors' strong buying interest of recent sessions and also firmer U.S. stocks, although yen gains against the greenback may dent exporters.
Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 80 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks may manage to edge higher bolstered by Wall Street's firm close although lower copper prices and weaker earnings reports may weigh on miners.
Share price index futures rose 11 points to 4,923.0, a 7.2 point discount to the 4,930.2 close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Wednesday.
HEADLINES: > World stocks, oil prices rally > BHP to 'build, not buy' in $80 bln expansion spree > ADRs rise on European banks, Asian energy companies > Israel: Iran warships to transit Suez for Syria > Egypt-inspired protests gain pace across region > Fed more confident in US recovery, unhappy on jobs > US producer prices up, inflation still seen muted > US House takes spending-cut knife to Pentagon > Airgas verdict revives poison pills > Merkel aide for Bundesbank,Draghi favored for ECB > Sanofi's $20 bln bid shows it needs Genzyme badly > Borders files for bankruptcy, to close 200 stores
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.75
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.50
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.76
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,880
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,800
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - Reuters Tankan DI
HONG KONG - Lenovo Group Ltd Q3 results
- Semiconductor Manufacturing International
Corporation (SMIC) Q1 results
AUSTRALIA - ASX Group Ltd H1 results
- AMP Ltd full year results
- Santos Ltd full year results
- Speech by RBA assistant governor Lowe
(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 added between 0.5 percent and 0.8 percent, as strong earnings and corporate activity breathed new life into the market's rally.
The U.S. dollar fell while on news Iranian warships were headed to Syria, sending oil higher along with safe-haven currencies such as the Swiss Franc.
Dell Inc, the world's No. 2 personal computer maker, smashed expectations with its earnings, sending its shares up 11.9 percent.
The merger activity covered both sides of the Atlantic, as activist investor Nelson Peltz's Trian Group offered to acquire Family Dollar Stores Inc, and French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA agreed to buy Genzyme Corp.
British shares rose 0.8 percent while European shares gained 0.5 percent with banks leading the charge on strong results from Societe Generale.
Asian stocks listed on Wall Street rose 0.75 percent.
Japanese markets, which hit a nine-month high on Wednesday, will draw comfort from foreign investors' strong buying interest of recent sessions and also firmer U.S. stocks, although yen gains against the greenback may dent exporters.
Nikkei futures traded in Chicago 80 points above the last closing level in Osaka.
Australian stocks may manage to edge higher bolstered by Wall Street's firm close although lower copper prices and weaker earnings reports may weigh on miners.
Share price index futures rose 11 points to 4,923.0, a 7.2 point discount to the 4,930.2 close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Wednesday.
HEADLINES: > World stocks, oil prices rally > BHP to 'build, not buy' in $80 bln expansion spree > ADRs rise on European banks, Asian energy companies > Israel: Iran warships to transit Suez for Syria > Egypt-inspired protests gain pace across region > Fed more confident in US recovery, unhappy on jobs > US producer prices up, inflation still seen muted > US House takes spending-cut knife to Pentagon > Airgas verdict revives poison pills > Merkel aide for Bundesbank,Draghi favored for ECB > Sanofi's $20 bln bid shows it needs Genzyme badly > Borders files for bankruptcy, to close 200 stores
KEY INDEXES pct change
Bank of New York Asia ADR index +0.75
Dow Jones Industrial Average +0.50
Nasdaq Composite Index +0.76
Nikkei futures in Chicago 10,880
Nikkei futures in Osaka 10,800
TOP ASIA EVENTS:
For more Asian company earnings, see ASIA/EQTY
JAPAN - Reuters Tankan DI
HONG KONG - Lenovo Group Ltd Q3 results
- Semiconductor Manufacturing International
Corporation (SMIC) Q1 results
AUSTRALIA - ASX Group Ltd H1 results
- AMP Ltd full year results
- Santos Ltd full year results
- Speech by RBA assistant governor Lowe
(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.