(Repeats to additional subscribers, no changes to text) ----------------------------------------------------------------
07:27 / 2127 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stock Markets
NetChng
NetChng S&P/ASX 200
5,507.82 -27.23 NZSX 50
7,385.12 +30.1 DJIA
18,597.70 +23.76 Nikkei
16,486.01 -259.63 NASDAQ
5,240.15 +11.49 FTSE
6,868.96 +9.81 S&P 500
2,187.02 +4.80 Hang Seng
23,023.16 +223.38 SPI 200 Fut
5,491.00 +15.00 STI
2,836.98 -6.37 SSEC
3,104.32 -5.23 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bonds
NetChg
NetChg AU 10 YR Bond
1.928 -0.005 US 10 YR Bond
1.534 -0.027 NZ 10 YR Bond
2.160 -0.015 US 30 YR Bond
2.258 -0.015 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Currencies
1700GMT
1700GMT AUD US$
0.7684 0.7709 NZD US$
0.7288 0.7292 EUR US$
1.1349 1.1314 Yen US$
99.95 99.85 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Commodities Gold (Lon)
1,350.05
Silver (Lon)
19.73 Gold (NY)
1,348.18
Light Crude
48.22 TRJCRB Index
189.34 +2.44 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks ended up slightly on Thursday as Brent oil's rise above $50 a barrel boosted energy shares and an upbeat outlook lifted Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) WMT.N to a 14-month high.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI gained 23.76 points, or 0.13 percent, to 18,597.7, the S&P 500 .SPX added 4.8 points, or 0.22 percent, to 2,187.02 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC rose 11.49 points, or 0.22 percent, to 5,240.15.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - UK shares edged up on Thursday, breaking a two-day losing streak after commodity-related stocks gained on the back of a weaker dollar.
The blue chip FTSE 100 FTSE index was up 0.1 percent to 6,868.96 points at the close, in line with the broader risk-on mood across European markets.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average dropped to a near two-week low on Thursday, as a strong yen soured investor risk appetite and dragged stocks lower across the board.
The Nikkei .N225 fell 1.6 percent to 16,486.01, the lowest closing level since Aug. 5.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to open higher underpinned by mining and energy stocks on higher gold and oil prices, with investors awaiting a slew of results, including those from Woodside, Insurance Australia Group, and Medibank.
Local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.3 percent to 5,491.0. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 0.5 percent on Thursday to close at 5,507.8.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The U.S. dollar hit its lowest level against the euro in nearly eight weeks and an eight-week low against the Swiss franc on Thursday, a day after minutes from the Federal Reserve's July meeting showed a bias among policymakers against raising interest rates soon.
The euro EUR= hit a session high of $1.1356 and the dollar touched a session low against the franc of 0.9540 franc CHF= . The dollar also slipped to 99.66 yen earlier, a hair above Tuesday's more than seven-week low of 99.53 yen JPY= .
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury yields fell on Thursday on bets the Federal Reserve is in no hurry to raise interest rates with domestic inflation stuck below its 2 percent goal and uncertainty about global risks to economic growth at home.
The yield on two-year Treasury notes US2YT=RR , which are sensitive to traders' views on Fed policy, was down nearly 3 basis points at 0.710 percent.
Benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR were up 8/32 in price to yield 1.534 percent.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold rose on Thursday, buoyed by a weaker dollar after minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's July meeting showed policymakers were divided over whether to raise interest rates soon.
Spot gold XAU= was up 0.3 percent at $1,351.98 an ounce by 2:39 p.m. EDT (1839 GMT), on track for a fourth straight day of gains.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper prices rose on Thursday as the dollar slipped after minutes of the Fed's last meeting showed little support for an imminent U.S. rate rise and worries about demand in top consumer China receded.
Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange ended up 0.7 percent at $4,810 a tonne.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Oil prices rose on Thursday for a sixth straight day, with Brent crude rising above $50 for the first time in six weeks as the world's biggest producers prepared to discuss a possible freeze in production levels.
Brent LCOc1 ended the session up 2.09 percent at $50.89. The session high of $51.05 was its highest since June 23. U.S. crude CLc1 settled at $48.22, up 3.06 percent after touching a session high of $48.38, the highest since July 5.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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