SYDNEY, March 16 (Reuters) - - Australian shares are seen
mixed with Japan's nuclear crisis and soft metal prices weighing
but five straight days of falls can attract investors back into
oversold blue chips.
* Stock index futures climbed 13 points or 0.3 percent to 4,548, a 19.3 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index. The benchmark fell 2.1 percent on Tuesday to end at its lowest close in over six months.
* Investors will also take heart from U.S. Federal Reserve's comments that the U.S. recovery is gaining traction and inflation pressure from soaring energy costs should be short-lived.
* U.S. stocks fell 1 percent but ended far from session lows on Tuesday on the Federal Reserve's more upbeat economic view and growing sentiment that Japan's nuclear crisis would only temporarily depress shares.
* Copper fell but trimmed losses late after the U.S. Federal Reserve said the economic recovery is 'on a firmer footing' and conditions in the labor market 'appear to be improving gradually.'
* Japan raced to avert a catastrophe on Wednesday after an explosion at a quake-crippled nuclear power plant sent radiation wafting into Tokyo, prompting some people to flee the capital and others to stock up on essential supplies.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.4 percent to 3,327.57 points in early trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2204 GMT
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1281.87 -1.12% -14.520 USD/JPY 80.72 -0.01% -0.010
10
YR US TSY YLD 3.3011
-- -0.064 SPOT GOLD 1394.65 0.05% 0.700 US CRUDE 97.32 0.14% 0.140 DOW JONES 11855.42 -1.15% -137.74 ASIA ADRS 134.68 -1.09% -1.49
* Fed comments rescue Wall St from deeper japan selloff
* U.S. crude little changed after API's small build
* Gold slides as Japan crisis slams market
* Copper cuts losses after Fed sees firmer recovery
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 climbed 13 points or 0.3 percent to 4,548, a 19.3 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index. The benchmark fell 2.1 percent on Tuesday to end at its lowest close in over six months.
* Investors will also take heart from U.S. Federal Reserve's comments that the U.S. recovery is gaining traction and inflation pressure from soaring energy costs should be short-lived.
* U.S. stocks fell 1 percent but ended far from session lows on Tuesday on the Federal Reserve's more upbeat economic view and growing sentiment that Japan's nuclear crisis would only temporarily depress shares.
* Copper fell but trimmed losses late after the U.S. Federal Reserve said the economic recovery is 'on a firmer footing' and conditions in the labor market 'appear to be improving gradually.'
* Japan raced to avert a catastrophe on Wednesday after an explosion at a quake-crippled nuclear power plant sent radiation wafting into Tokyo, prompting some people to flee the capital and others to stock up on essential supplies.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index rose 0.4 percent to 3,327.57 points in early trade.
----------------------MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2204 GMT
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG S&P 500 1281.87 -1.12% -14.520 USD/JPY 80.72 -0.01% -0.010
10
YR US TSY YLD 3.3011
-- -0.064 SPOT GOLD 1394.65 0.05% 0.700 US CRUDE 97.32 0.14% 0.140 DOW JONES 11855.42 -1.15% -137.74 ASIA ADRS 134.68 -1.09% -1.49
* Fed comments rescue Wall St from deeper japan selloff
* U.S. crude little changed after API's small build
* Gold slides as Japan crisis slams market
* Copper cuts losses after Fed sees firmer recovery
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.