Sept 18 (Reuters) - Stock Markets
Net Chng
Stock Markets
Net Chng S&P/ASX 200** 5,695.02
-43.66
NZX 50**
7,762.66
-56.57 DJIA
22,268.34
64.86
NIKKEI**
19,909.5
102.06 Nasdaq
6,448.467
19.38
FTSE**
7,215.47
-79.92 S&P 500
2,500.23
4.61
Hang Seng**
27,807.59
30.39 SPI 200 Fut
5,708.00
16.00
STI**
3,209.56
-11.39 SSEC**
3,353.67
-17.76
KOSPI**
2,386.07
8.41 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Bonds
Bonds
JP 10 YR Bond 0.021
-0.019
KR 10 YR Bond
2.25
0.002 AU 10 YR Bond 2.769
0.019
US 10 YR Bond
2.2023
0 NZ 10 YR Bond 2.985
0.03
US 30 YR Bond
2.7692
0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
Currencies
SGD US$
1.3452
-0.0011
KRW US$
1,133.46
1.25 AUD US$
0.7996
-0.0007
NZD US$
0.7278
-0.001 EUR US$
1.1931
-0.0013
Yen US$
111.03
0.19 THB US$
33.09
-0.01
PHP US$
51.274
0.014 IDR US$
13,238
-11
INR US$
64.105
-0.015 MYR US$
4.188
-0.016
TWD US$
30.075
-0.031 CNY US$
6.55
-0.004
HKD US$
7.8183
-0.0005 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
Commodities
Spot Gold
1,319.22
-10.21
Silver (Lon)
17.58
-0.163 U.S. Gold Fut 1,325.2
-4.1
Brent Crude
55.62
0.15 Iron Ore
CNY499.5
-9.5
TRJCRB Index
184.0516
0.7413 TOCOM Rubber
JPY221.4
0.2
LME Copper
6,488
-10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --
** indicates closing price
All prices as of 2115 GMT
EQUITIES
GLOBAL - A gauge of global equities rose and shares on Wall Street set new highs on Friday as investors shrugged off the latest missile test by North Korea, while the dollar eased on unexpected weak economic data that dimmed the likelihood for a U.S. rate hike.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained 0.11 percent to set a new high for an index that tracks the performance of more than 2,400 stocks in 47
countries.
For a full report, click on MKTS/GLOB
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NEW YORK - Wall Street reached record highs on Friday, with the S&P 500 surpassing 2,500 points as telecommunications shares rose and technology bounced back after two days of declines.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 0.29 percent to end at 22,268.34 points, while the S&P 500 .SPX gained 0.18 percent to 2,500.23, records for both.
For a full report, click on .N
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LONDON - European shares dipped on Friday as another North Korean missile launch softened appetite for riskier banks and miners but still scored their strongest week since July as attractive valuations tempted investors.
The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX and euro zone stocks .STOXX50E both fell 0.3 percent, while export oriented FTSE .FTSE slumped 1.1 percent as the pound spiked higher after a Bank of England policymaker opened the door for a possible rate increase in the coming months.
For a full report, click on .EU
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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average ended higher on Friday and posted its biggest weekly gain in ten months as a stronger dollar saw investors buying shares of exporters, shrugging off North Korea's ballistic missile launch that dented risk appetite in broader Asia.
The Nikkei .N225 initially dipped in a knee-jerk reaction at the opening, but soon rebounded and stayed in positive territory before ending 0.5 percent higher at 19,909.50.
For a full report, click on .T
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SHANGHAI - Shanghai stocks fell on Friday to end the week lower, as a slew of soft data suggested the world's second-largest economy is starting to lose some momentum in the face of rising borrowing costs and government-mandated capacity cuts.
The blue-chip CSI300 index .CSI300 ended little changed at 3,831.30 points, while the Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC fell 0.5 percent to 3,353.62 points.
For a full report, click on .SS
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AUSTRALIA - Australian shares are expected to inch up on Monday, taking leads from Wall Street's strong finish in the previous session, though lower metal prices could weigh on miners.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.28 percent or 16 points to 5,708, a 13.0-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark fell 0.8 percent on Friday.
For a full report, click on .AX
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SEOUL - South Korean shares rebounded to more than five-week highs on Friday and the won KRW= also recouped early losses as investors largely shrugged off North Korea's latest missile launch.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) .KS11 ended up 0.4 percent at 2,386.07 points, its highest close since Aug. 8.
For a full report, click on KRW/
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The dollar weakened against most major currencies on Friday, weighed down by an unexpected decline in U.S. retail sales last month that once again dimmed expectations for an interest rate increase in December.
In late trading, the dollar rose 0.6 percent to 110.88 yen, posting its best weekly percentage gain since November JPY= .
For a full report, click on USD/
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SHANGHAI - China's yuan inched up slightly against the U.S. dollar on Friday, but looked set for its biggest weekly loss since November as speculation swirls over whether the central bank is looking to slow its rapid gains.
In the spot market, the yuan CNY=CFXS opened at 6.5450 per dollar and was changing hands at 6.5495 at midday on Friday.
For a full report, click on CNY/
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AUSTRALIA - The Australian dollar was nursing losses for the week on Friday as markets priced in a greater risk of rate increases in the United States and the UK, but scant chance of any near-term tightening at home.
The Australian dollar AUD=D4 was pinned at $0.7992, to be down 0.7 percent for the week so far having failed to hold the recent two-year peak of $0.8125.
For a full report, click on AUD/
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SEOUL - South Korean shares rebounded to more than five-week highs on Friday and the won KRW= also recouped early losses as investors largely shrugged off North Korea's latest missile launch.
The won KRW=KFTC was quoted at 1,131.7 to the dollar at the conclusion of onshore trade, up 0.1 percent from Thursday's close of 1,132.6.
For a full report, click on KRW/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - Yield spreads between shorter-dated and longer-dated Treasuries contracted on Friday as traders added to bets the Federal Reserve would wait until the end of the year to raise rates and focus on its balance sheet at next week's policy meeting.
The benchmark 10-year yield US10YT=RR was 2.201 percent, up marginally on the day. It hit a three-week peak at 2.225 percent on Thursday.
For a full report, click on US/
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LONDON - A euro zone government bond sell-off resumed on Friday after hawkish rhetoric from a Bank of England policymaker bolstered a sense that central banks across the developed world are moving into tightening mode.
Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the benchmark for the euro zone, hit a one-month high of 0.45 percent, up 2.5 bps on the day and up almost 5 bps from the session's lows. DE10YT=TWEB
For a full report, click on GVD/EUR
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TOKYO - Japanese government bond prices gained on Friday following a regular debt-buying operation by the Bank of Japan.
The benchmark 10-year yield JP10YTN=JBTC declined 1 basis point to 0.025 percent, pulling away from a three-week high of 0.040 percent set on Thursday.
For a full report, click on JP/
COMMODITIES
GOLD
Gold prices fell on Friday after a European Central Bank (ECB) official called for scaling back the bank's stimulus program, although losses were capped when weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data raised questions about further interest rate hikes.
Spot gold XAU= was down 0.6 percent at $1,321.88 an ounce by 1747 GMT on Friday. It was down 1.8 percent for the week, on track for its biggest weekly decline since early July.
For a full report, click on GOL/
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IRON ORE
China's steel prices fell nearly 2 percent on Friday and posted their biggest weekly loss since early June on growing concerns about a glut as mills in the world's top producer rush to churn out metal ahead of a winter crackdown.
Falling for a second straight session, the most-active rebar futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange SRBcv1 closed 1.9 percent lower at 3,805 yuan ($581.58) a tonne. Earlier, they hit 3,777 yuan, their lowest in three weeks.
For a full report, click on IRONORE/
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BASE METALS
Copper was steady on Friday, helped by a weaker dollar but still recorded its biggest weekly price fall since March as investors took profits from a speculative rally to three-year highs.
Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange ended at $6,508 a tonne, up 0.1 percent on the day and down 2.8 percent this week. It has slipped from a three-year high of $6,970 on Sept. 5 but is still up 18 percent so far this year.
For a full report, click on MET/L
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OIL
Brent oil prices held near five-month highs on Friday and were on track for the biggest weekly gain since late July, on forecasts for rising demand and the gradual restart of U.S. oil refineries.
Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 15 cents at $55.62 a barrel. The benchmark rose for the third straight week, increasing 3.3 percent, the most since the end of July.
For a full report, click on O/R
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PALM OIL
Malaysian palm oil futures dipped in the Friday session, retreating further from a six-month high, as strong export figures cushioned the dampening effects of a rise in export tax for October.
The benchmark palm oil contract for November delivery 1FCPOc3 on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange slid 0.2 percent to 2,861 ringgit ($683.31), easing further from a six-month high of 2,873 ringgit hit on Wednesday's close.
For a full report, click on POI/
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RUBBER
Benchmark Tokyo rubber futures ended down 2.9 percent on Friday, after hitting a near two-week low earlier in the session, led by Shanghai futures on news that the world's top producers will not curb exports, brokers said.
The Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for February delivery JRUc6 , 0#2JRU: finished down 6.7 yen at 221.2 yen ($2.00) per kg. For the week, it fell 2.1 percent.
For a full report, click on RUB/T
- - - - (Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)