(Updates figures throughout) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Snapshot at: 1835 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stock Markets
NetChng
NetChng S&P/ASX 200
5,263.84 +15.54 NZSX 50
5,923.60 +5.34 DJIA
17,489.16 +320.55 Nikkei
18,435.87 -118.41 NASDAQ
4,920.05 +79.93 FTSE
6,376.28 +27.86 S&P 500
2,052.51 +33.57 Hang Seng
22,845.37 -143.85 SPI 200 Fut
5,310.00 +78.00 STI
3,038.11 +12.41 SSEC
3,369.58 +48.90 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bonds
NetChg
NetChg AU 10 YR Bond
2.614 -0.025 US 10 YR Bond
2.025 -0.005 NZ 10 YR Bond
3.330 -0.025 US 30 YR Bond
2.862 -0.007 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Currencies
1700GMT
1700GMT AUD US$
0.7209 0.7202 NZD US$
0.6787 0.6761 EUR US$
1.1108 1.1340 Yen US$
120.70 119.74 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Commodities Gold (Lon)
1,167.00
Silver (Lon)
15.77 Gold (NY)
1,166.70
Light Crude
45.40 TRJCRB Index
195.61 +0.02 ----------------------------------------------------------------
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks jumped on Thursday with the S&P 500 index hitting a two-month high on stronger-than-expected corporate results from companies including McDonald's and cues from the European Central Bank about extending its stimulus program.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 321.25 points, or 1.87 percent, to 17,489.86, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 33.61 points, or 1.66 percent, to 2,052.55 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 79.93 points, or 1.65 percent, to 4,920.05.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Britain's top share index edged higher on Thursday, failing to match a sharp rally in euro zone shares after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stoked prospects of further monetary easing, sending the euro lower.
Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE closed up 0.4 percent at 6,376.28 points, with the pound's strength against the euro counteracting renewed appetite for equities following Draghi's comments.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japanese stocks fell on Thursday in thin trade, giving up earlier gains as investors took profit ahead of a European Central Bank meeting later in the day that could shed light on its plans over further quantitative easing.
The Nikkei share average .N225 ended 0.6 percent lower at 18,435.87.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are expected to rise on Friday as investors take a buoyant lead from overseas markets and as a bounce in key commodity prices injects buying momentum into resources stocks.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 were up 78.0 points or 1.5 percent at 5,310.0, a 46-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark rose 15.5 points, or 0.3 percent, to 5263.8 in the previous session.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The euro tumbled on Thursday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said the bank discussed a further interest rate cut and raised the possibility of further easing measures to counter weak inflation in the euro zone.
The euro zone single currency dropped to a three-week low of $1.1155 EUR= and was last at $1.1165, down 1.5 percent on the day. Against the yen, the euro slid to its lowest since Oct. 2 at 134.30 yen EURJPY= . It last traded at 134.40, down 1.6 percent.
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - Long-dated U.S. Treasury prices were pulled lower by a Wall Street rally on Thursday, while prices on shorter maturities rose on news federal officials were pushing back an auction of 2-year Treasury notes because of the debt-ceiling limit.
A Treasury announcement detailing the unusual auction delay, originally expected on Tuesday, knocked the two-year note's US2YT=RR yield to a session low of 0.596 percent.
With U.S. stocks ahead more than 1 percent, yields on the 30-year Treasury bond US30YT=RR were as high as 2.89 percent before easing to 2.887 percent, reflecting a price drop of 7/32.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold fell to its lowest in more than a week on Thursday, pressured by a strong dollar and uncertainty over the timing of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate rise.
Spot gold XAU= eased 0.1 percent to $1,165.76 an ounce by 1546 GMT, after touching a new low since Oct. 13 at $1,162.50 earlier. The metal closed 0.8 percent lower the day before.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper climbed on Thursday after four sessions of losses, buoyed by another production cutback by producer Freeport and strong Chinese import data, though analysts cautioned that underlying demand remains weak.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3 closed up 1.1 percent at $5,232 a tonne, recovering from its lowest in nearly two weeks at $5,136, hit during Wednesday's session.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Crude oil inched higher on Thursday as gains prompted by a rally in gasoline and technical charts calling for higher prices were capped by worries about high U.S. crude inventories.
Brent crude LCOc1 settled up 23 cents, or 0.5 percent, at $48.08 a barrel. The global crude benchmark was up nearly 2 percent earlier in the day.
U.S. crude CLc1 rose 18 cents, or 0.4 percent, to settle at $45.38.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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