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Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 4,852.14 -32.11 NZSX 50 3,452.69 -1.80
DJIA 12,341.83 +56.68 Nikkei 9,591.52 -62.40
NASDAQ 2,764.65 +4.43 FTSE 5,996.01 +32.21
S&P 500 1,319.68 +5.16 Hang Seng 24,008.07 -5.93
SPI 200 Fut 4,879.00 +16.00 CRB Index 362.78 +2.12
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 5.582 +0.000 US 10 YR Bond 3.414 +0.000
NZ 10 YR Bond 5.790 +0.000 US 30 YR Bond 4.469 +0.000
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 1.0565 1.0521 NZD US$ 0.7984 0.7946
EUR US$ 1.4429 1.4470 Yen US$ 83.11 83.22
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1476.75 Silver (Lon) 42.610
Gold (NY) 1483.65 Light Crude 109.66
Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - Encouraging economic indicators sent U.S. stocks higher on Friday, but the market's recent struggles are set to continue into next week when more than one-fifth of S&P 500 companies report results.
The S&P 500 fell for a second straight week, and some in the market pointed to strong resistance building around 1,340. The daily chart shows a bearish double top near that level.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 56.68 points, or 0.46 percent, to 12,341.83. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 5.16 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,319.68. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 4.43 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,764.65.
For the week, the Dow fell 0.3 percent while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq each lost 0.6 percent.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
LONDON - Drugmakers and tobacco stocks led a defensive rally that enabled Britain's top share index to close higher on Friday.
The FTSE 100 closed up 32.21 points, or 0.5 percent, at 5,996.01, but failed to break above 6,000 after London's blue chips hit a two-week closing low on Thursday at 5,963.80.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell in thin trade on Friday, with chip stocks leading losses after ratings downgrades.
The benchmark Nikkei average ended down 0.7 percent, or 62.40 points, at 9,591.52 -- dipping below the settlement of April options prices last week at 9,612.51. The broader Topix shed 0.6 percent to 841.29.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY-Australian stocks are poised to open higher lifted by
better-than-expected economic reports and improving U.S. consumer confidence but sliding metal prices can be a dampener.
Local share price index futures gained 16 points to 4,879, a 26.9 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index.
- - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The euro slipped on Friday but its uptrend of the past three months still looks intact, with the prospect of more interest rate rises from the European central bank seen offsetting concerns about the ability of some poorer euro zone countries to pay their debts.
In late afternoon New York trading, the euro was down 0.4 percent at $1.4432, off a 15-month high of $1.4521 touched earlier this week. The euro was down about 0.3 percent this week.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - Investors are turning increasingly bullish on the near term outlook for U.S. Treasuries, saying slowing economic growth and still benign inflation may help the debt markets bloom this spring.
U.S. government bonds were boosted on Friday after data showed underlying U.S. inflation pressures remained subdued and consumers were more restrained in their inflation outlook.
Ten-year yields were down 9 basis points on Friday to 3.41 percent. Treasury trading volumes on Friday were around 92 percent of their average, according to ICAP.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold rose 1 percent to a record and silver soared on Friday, as inflation worries amid a crude oil rally and a downgrade of Ireland's sovereign debt powered bullion to its fifth consecutive weekly gain.
Spot gold rose 0.9 percent to $1,485.70 an ounce by 3:28 p.m. EDT (1928 GMT), having hit a record $1,487.90. U.S. gold futures for June delivery settled up $13.60 at $1,486.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper fell for a fifth straight day on Friday, posting its biggest weekly loss since mid-March, as mounting inflationary pressure in China cast a shadow over the near-term demand outlook.
London Metal Exchange (LME) copper for three-months delivery eased $5 to close at $9,405 a tonne. COMEX May copper shed 2.65 cents to settle at $4.2575 per lb.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil rose on Friday, with Brent crude surging past $123 a barrel, as improving U.S. consumer confidence and industrial production eased concerns about rising fuel costs.
U.S. crude futures rose $1.55 to settle at $109.66 a barrel, marking the third straight day of gains although the contract was off 2.8 percent for the week. ICE Brent crude for June, the new front-month contract, rose $1.45 to settle at $123.45 a barrel.
For a full report, double click on
- - - - ((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234)) Keywords: MORNINGCALL/ (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.
Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - Encouraging economic indicators sent U.S. stocks higher on Friday, but the market's recent struggles are set to continue into next week when more than one-fifth of S&P 500 companies report results.
The S&P 500 fell for a second straight week, and some in the market pointed to strong resistance building around 1,340. The daily chart shows a bearish double top near that level.
The Dow Jones industrial average gained 56.68 points, or 0.46 percent, to 12,341.83. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 5.16 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,319.68. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 4.43 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,764.65.
For the week, the Dow fell 0.3 percent while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq each lost 0.6 percent.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
LONDON - Drugmakers and tobacco stocks led a defensive rally that enabled Britain's top share index to close higher on Friday.
The FTSE 100 closed up 32.21 points, or 0.5 percent, at 5,996.01, but failed to break above 6,000 after London's blue chips hit a two-week closing low on Thursday at 5,963.80.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average fell in thin trade on Friday, with chip stocks leading losses after ratings downgrades.
The benchmark Nikkei average ended down 0.7 percent, or 62.40 points, at 9,591.52 -- dipping below the settlement of April options prices last week at 9,612.51. The broader Topix shed 0.6 percent to 841.29.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
SYDNEY-Australian stocks are poised to open higher lifted by
better-than-expected economic reports and improving U.S. consumer confidence but sliding metal prices can be a dampener.
Local share price index futures gained 16 points to 4,879, a 26.9 point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index.
- - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The euro slipped on Friday but its uptrend of the past three months still looks intact, with the prospect of more interest rate rises from the European central bank seen offsetting concerns about the ability of some poorer euro zone countries to pay their debts.
In late afternoon New York trading, the euro was down 0.4 percent at $1.4432, off a 15-month high of $1.4521 touched earlier this week. The euro was down about 0.3 percent this week.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - Investors are turning increasingly bullish on the near term outlook for U.S. Treasuries, saying slowing economic growth and still benign inflation may help the debt markets bloom this spring.
U.S. government bonds were boosted on Friday after data showed underlying U.S. inflation pressures remained subdued and consumers were more restrained in their inflation outlook.
Ten-year yields were down 9 basis points on Friday to 3.41 percent. Treasury trading volumes on Friday were around 92 percent of their average, according to ICAP.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold rose 1 percent to a record and silver soared on Friday, as inflation worries amid a crude oil rally and a downgrade of Ireland's sovereign debt powered bullion to its fifth consecutive weekly gain.
Spot gold rose 0.9 percent to $1,485.70 an ounce by 3:28 p.m. EDT (1928 GMT), having hit a record $1,487.90. U.S. gold futures for June delivery settled up $13.60 at $1,486.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper fell for a fifth straight day on Friday, posting its biggest weekly loss since mid-March, as mounting inflationary pressure in China cast a shadow over the near-term demand outlook.
London Metal Exchange (LME) copper for three-months delivery eased $5 to close at $9,405 a tonne. COMEX May copper shed 2.65 cents to settle at $4.2575 per lb.
For a full report, double click on
- - - -
OIL
NEW YORK - Oil rose on Friday, with Brent crude surging past $123 a barrel, as improving U.S. consumer confidence and industrial production eased concerns about rising fuel costs.
U.S. crude futures rose $1.55 to settle at $109.66 a barrel, marking the third straight day of gains although the contract was off 2.8 percent for the week. ICE Brent crude for June, the new front-month contract, rose $1.45 to settle at $123.45 a barrel.
For a full report, double click on
- - - - ((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 471 4234)) Keywords: MORNINGCALL/ (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.