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Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 5,310.05 +55.56 NZSX 50 4,869.97 +22.03
DJIA 15,955.76 -39.01 Nikkei 14,800.06 +81.72
NASDAQ 4,200.62 +9.57 FTSE 6,675.03 +2.37
S&P 500 1,818.58 -1.17 Hang Seng 22,285.79 +322.81
SPI 200 Fut 5,151.00 -20.00 TRJCRB Index 291.74 +1.53
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 4.239 +0.008 US 10 YR Bond 2.763 +0.046
NZ 10 YR Bond 4.630 +0.000 US 30 YR Bond 3.722 +0.038
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.9028 0.9062 NZD US$ 0.8314 0.8350
EUR US$ 1.3590 1.3643 Yen US$ 102.48 102.46
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1289.50 Silver (Lon) 20.200
Gold (NY) 1291.46 Light Crude 100.32
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Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - The S&P 500 rose slightly on Wednesday as a slide
in Procter & Gamble's shares kept gains in check after a
four-day rally took the benchmark index within striking distance
of a record high.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 11.34
points, or 0.07 percent, at 15,983.43. The Standard & Poor's 500
Index was up 2.20 points, or 0.12 percent, at 1,821.95.
The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 15.62 points, or 0.37
percent, at 4,206.67.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Britain's top share index reached a three-week
closing high on Wednesday, buoyed by miners, after top metals
consumer China reported robust trade data.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended up 2.37 points -
flat in percentage terms - at 6,675.03 points, marking its sixth
straight day of gains.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average climbed to a 1-1/2 week
high on Wednesday after strong Chinese trade data lifted
investors' risk appetites and the Federal Reserve's new chief
signalled no change in its policies.
The Nikkei ended 0.6 percent higher at 14,800.06,
its highest closing since Jan. 31. It moved further away from a
four-month low of 13,995.86 hit last week.
The Topix gained 1.3 percent to 1,219.60, with 32 of
33 subsectors in positive territory.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to have a firm start on
Thursday following a modest rise on Wall Street with investors
likely to be cautious ahead of some earnings results due later
on Thursday.
Australia's share price index futures gained 0.2
percent to 5,275, but was still a 35.1-point discount to the
close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index on Wednesday.
The benchmark rose 1.1 percent in the previous session.
Rio Tinto , Telstra , GPTv ,
Transurban and Australia Securities Exchange
are due to report their earnings later in the day.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The British pound rose to a two-week high against
the dollar on Wednesday after the Bank of England raised growth
forecasts and hinted Britain may raise interest rates next year.
Sterling jumped to a two-week high of $1.6580 , up
0.8 percent on the day, and well above $1.6480 before the report
was released as investors brought forward expectations of the
first rate hike.
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on Wednesday after
the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure on the U.S.
debt ceiling and a new Federal Reserve chair vowed to maintain
the bank's current strategy of reducing asset purchases at a
gradual pace.
Benchmark 10-year Treasuries were last down
10/32 in price to yield 2.75 percent, their strongest level
since Jan. 29.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
LONDON - Gold hit three-month highs on Wednesday as positive
technical factors outweighed a rise in investor appetite for
other, riskier assets following comments by the new U.S. Federal
Reserve chief about the economic outlook.
Spot gold , initially low, rebounded to a fresh
three-month high of $1,295.20 an ounce. It was up 0.2 percent to
$1,293.55 by 1523 GMT. It closed up 1.3 percent in the previous
session.
U.S. gold futures for February delivery were up at
$1,290.10 an ounce.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Gold hit three-month highs on Wednesday as positive
technical factors outweighed a rise in investor appetite for
other, riskier assets following comments by the new U.S. Federal
Reserve chief about the economic outlook.
Spot gold , initially low, rebounded to a fresh
three-month high of $1,295.20 an ounce. It was up 0.2 percent to
$1,293.55 by 1523 GMT. It closed up 1.3 percent in the previous
session.
U.S. gold futures for February delivery were up at
$1,290.10 an ounce.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
LONDON - U.S. oil rose on Wednesday but government data
showing a larger-than-expected build in crude inventories pulled
futures off the highs, with expectations for dwindling seasonal
demand for heating fuels also helping curb the gain.
Brent crude for March delivery was up 20 cents at
$108.88 at 12:53 p.m. EST (1753 GMT). U.S. crude was up
60 cents at $100.54.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 802
7980))
Keywords: MORNINGCALL/