ADVFN Newsdesk - Traders May Go Bargain Hunting Amid Mixed News

ADVFN  World Daily Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Thursday, 30 January 2014 09:54:19    Monitor Quote Charts News Toplists Forex Boards   Sponsored by: VectorVest Beat the market – Guaranteed! Discover trading plans that beat the market year after year and tell you exactly when to buy, what to buy and when to sell. Click Here US Market The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a higher opening on Thursday, with sentiment suggesting that stocks may stage a rebound, as traders digest another raft of earnings and mixed economic data. Earnings news continued to be mixed, while separate economic reports released earlier in the day showed that jobless claims rose more than expected, while fourth quarter growth came in line with estimated. More data is to follow in the form of pending home sales due shortly after the markets open. The fairly benign catalysts could aid some degree of bargain hunting, although an extension of the lean trend cannot be ruled up, if pent up discontentment over the Fed decision returns to haunt investors. U.S. stocks moved back to the downside on Wednesday, retreating sharply amid the FOMC announcement, as a lack of clarity on the pace of stimulus trimming exerted downward pressure on stocks. The major averages opened lower and moved roughly sideways until the FOMC announcement. With the Fed toeing in line with its recent stance of withdrawing stimulus at a measured pace, the averages came under further selling in the afternoon and closed notably lower. The Dow Industrials ended down 189.77 points or 1.19 percent at 15,739, the S&P 500 Index closed 18.30 points or 1.02 percent lower at 1,774, and the Nasdaq Composite Index ended at 4,051, down 46.53 points or 1.14 percent. Seventeen of the thirty Dow components closed lower, with Boeing slumping 5.33 percent in reaction to its earnings. Caterpillar , Disney , Home Depot and Coca-Cola also declined sharply. On the other hand, NIKE rose 1.08 percent. Transportation, financial, retail and Oil service stocks pulled back notably, while Gold stocks gained ground. The FOMC statement showed that the central bank now viewed that economic growth has picked up in recent quarters. The labor market commentary was maintained, while household spending and business fixed investment are reported to have advanced more quickly in recent months, an improvement from the Fed's previous assessment that they merely advanced. Most of the remaining statement was repeated. In line with its recently adopted approach, the Fed announced the next $10 billion reduction to its bond buying program, as it stayed nonchalant about the brewing turbulence among emerging market currencies. The size of the Federal Reserve's QE now stands at $65 billion per month. The Fed's apathy towards the market turmoil led to a plunge by The Dow Industrials yesterday that took it below its key 100-day MA (currently at 15,774.) With the level currently serving as a resistance, the index could attempt to break through it if risk appetite returns. Further upward, the index also has resistances around 15,832, 15,884, 15,963 and 16,026. On the downside the index has support around 15,613, 15,670 and 15,550. Retired Talk Show Host Reveals Shocking Secret "Almost anyone can collect income checks from the government," he says. "And it's all tax-free." Read More US Economic Reports CADUSD Oil Gold Allbanc Please click on the images to view our interactive charts First-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits increased by more than expected in the week ended January 25th, according to a report released by the Labor Department. The report said initial jobless claims climbed to 348,000, an increase of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 329,000. Economists had expected jobless claims to edge up to 330,000 from the 326,000 originally reported for the previous week. While The Commerce Department released a report showing a slowdown in the pace of U.S. economic growth in the final three months of 2013, the increase still matched economist estimates. The Commerce Department said gross domestic product increased by 3.2 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the 4.1 percent growth seen in the third quarter. The GDP growth came in line with the expectations of most economists. The growth primarily reflected positive contributions from consumer spending, exports, non-residential fixed investment, private inventory investment, and state and local government spending. The GDP increased by 4.1 percent in the third quarter compared to the 3.6 percent growth estimated earlier this month. Economists had expected the pace of GDP growth to be unrevised. The National Association of Realtors will release its pending home sales index for December at 10 am ET. Economists estimate pending home sales to have declined 0.5 percent month-over-month in December. The pending home sales index edged up a less than expected 0.2 percent month-over-month in November. On a year-over-year basis, the index was down 1.6 percent. Pending home sales fell in the Northeast and Midwest, while pending home sales rose in the South and the West. The Treasury is set to announce the results of the auction of 5-year and 7-year notes at 11:30 am ET and 1 pm ET, respectively. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade Stocks in Focus FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts Facebook reported better than expected results for its fourth quarter, helped by strong mobile ad revenue growth. Chipmaker Qualcomm reported first quarter earnings that were ahead of estimates, while its revenues missed expectations. The company raised its full year earnings guidance, which was in line with estimates. However, the company's second quarter guidance was weak. Exxon Mobil's fourth quarter earnings were below estimates. Meanwhile, peer ConocoPhillips reported better than expected earnings for its fourth quarter. Eli Lilly's results were also ahead of estimates. Meanwhile, UPS issued weak earnings outlook for 2014 after reporting fourth quarter earnings that beat estimates but revenues below expectations. Symantec reported third quarter earnings and revenues that came in ahead of estimates. The company issued strong earnings and revenue guidance for 2014. Las Vegas Sands reported fourth quarter earnings that beat estimates, while its revenues were below expectations. Flextronics' third quarter results exceeded estimates. Lam Research's second quarter results also beat estimates and the company's guidance for the third quarter was upbeat. Callaway Golf reported a loss for its fourth quarter that was wider than estimates, while its revenues were ahead of estimates. The company's full year revenue guidance was lukewarm. FIS announced a 9 percent increase in its quarterly dividend to 24 cents per share. Google announced a deal to sell its Motorola Mobility smartphone business to Lenovo for $2.91 billion. Meanwhile, Google will maintain ownership of the vast majority of the Motorola Mobility patent portfolio, although as part of its ongoing relationship with Google, Lenovo will receive a license to this rich portfolio. Amazon.com , Broadcom , Celestica , Chipotle Mexican Grill , Computer Sciences , Emulex (ELX), Google , JDS Uniphase , Manitowoc (MTW), Netsuite (N), PMC-Sierra , Reinsurance Group of America , Tellabs , Tuesday Morning , Unisys and Wynn Resorts are among the companies due to release their quarterly results after the close of trading. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade European Market After a shaky start, European stocks moved decisively lower, as traders digest domestic earnings and economic data and the cues from Asia. However, following the release of U.S. data, the averages have recouped some of their losses and are currently mixed. In corporate news, B/E Aerospace reported higher earnings and revenues for its fourth quarter. For 2014, the company expects adjusted earnings of $4.25 per share on revenues of $4 billion. Ericsson's reported fourth quarter earnings that missed estimates by most analysts and flat revenues. Infineon reaffirmed its second quarter revenue growth forecast after reporting first quarter adjusted operating earnings that beat estimates. Swiss drug giant Roche's 2013 core earnings trailed estimates, while it expects revenues to rise by a low to mid-single-digit percentage. Shell reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings in line with its negative pre-announcement, with the quarterly profits hitting the lowest in 5 years. The company said it would seek disposals and make efforts to improve cash flows. On the economic front, data released by the Federal Statistical Office revealed that the seasonally adjusted German unemployment rate came in at 5.1 percent in December, unchanged from November. The number of employed people edged up by 0.1 percent month-over-month to 40.53 million. Data released by the Labor Ministry showed that the number of persons without a job decreased by around 28,000 o 2.93 million in January, hitting the lowest level in eleven months. January's decline was significantly bigger than the 5,000 fall forecast by economists. Asian Markets USDCAD USDEUR USDGBP USDJPY Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The Asian markets retreated, unimpressed by the Fed decision and worried over a slowdown in China. The Taiwanese and South Korean markets were closed for a public holiday. Japan's Nikkei 225 average plunged amid the strengthening of the yen, as traders sought the currency due to its safe haven appeal amid the risk aversion in play in the markets. The index ended down 376.85 points or 2.45 percent at 15,007. A majority of stocks declined in the session, with financial and real estate stocks among the worst hit. Australia's All Ordinaries also languished below the unchanged line throughout the session before closing down 41.20 points or 0.79 percent at 5,199. The market witnessed broad based weakness, led by financial, consumer staple and energy stocks, although defensive telecom stocks bucked the trend with modest gains. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index ended at 22,035, down 106.19 points or 0.48 percent, and China's Shanghai Composite Index closed 16.83 points or 0.82 percent lower at 2,033. On the economic front, revised estimates released by HSBC and Markit Economics showed that the Chinese manufacturing index based on their survey came in at 49.5 in January, down from 50.5 in December and the flash estimate of 49.6. The gun debate reveals game-changing technology And provides proof that we could be at the exact tipping point to deliver monster-sized gains. Read more... Currency and Commodities Markets Crude Oil futures are rising $0.41 to $97.77 a barrel after dipping $0.05 to $97.36 a barrel on Wednesday. The previous session's modest pullback came amid the Fed decision and the release of the petroleum status report, which showed that Crude oil stockpiles rose by 6.4 million barrels to 357.60 million barrels in the week ended January 24th. Inventories remained in the upper half of the average range. Meanwhile, Gasoline stockpiles fell by 0.8 million barrels yet were well above the upper limit of the average range. Distillate fuel inventories slipped 4.6 million barrels and were well below the lower limit of the average range. Refinery capacity utilization averaged 89.2 percent over the four weeks ended January 24th compared to 90.3 percent over the four weeks ended January 17th. The most actively traded Gold futures for April delivery are currently down $21.80 to $1,240.40 an ounce. The February futures settled Wednesday's session up $11.40 at $1,262.20 an ounce amid safe haven demand. Among currencies, the U.S. dollar is trading at 102.65 yen compared to 102.29 yen it fetched at the close of New York trading on Wednesday. Against the euro, the dollar is valued at $1.3581 compared to yesterday's $1.3663.     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49

Morning Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN  Morning Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Thursday, 30 January 2014 09:35:56 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Spreadbetting Free BB   Sponsored by: Landcorp Canada off-plan plots with guaranteed resell From £30,000 with up to 48% returns in 36 months Download free brochure London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London open: Stocks fall after Fed as investors await data-heavy session - FTSE 100 at lowest since December 18th - Fed continues to taper, cuts bond purchases by 10bn dollars - Chinese PMI confirms manufacturing contraction - Barrage of data out elsewhere techMARK 2,761.89 -0.22% FTSE 100 6,518.96 -0.39% FTSE 250 15,677.69 -0.07% UK equities got off to a poor start on Thursday morning in the aftermath of the Federal Reserve's decision to scale back its stimulus programme further and some disappointing economic figures from China. Ongoing concerns over developing nations were continuing to weigh on sentiment today as investors scaled back risk appetite ahead of what is set to be a data-heavy session for global financial markets. The FTSE 100 was trading down 0.4% at 6,519 in early trading; it has not closed below this level since December 18th 2013. The US central bank last night tapered quantitative easing (QE) for the second month in a row despite some suggestions that the recent volatility in emerging markets could prompt it to hold off. This comes after policymakers in Turkey, India and South Africa all moved to tighten policy in recent days, though this has failed to stop the downwards pressure on their respective currencies. After a two-day meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously voted to cut monthly asset purchases by a further $10bn to $65bn after finding that economic growth had "picked up in recent quarters". In other news, the final reading of the Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index confirmed that the sector contracted in January, with the index actually being revised slightly lower to 49.5, from a preliminary reading of 49.6 and below the 50.5 recorded in December. The economic data schedule elsewhere looks pretty busy this morning with a barrage of indicators due out from across Europe, including: Spanish growth estimates; German unemployment and inflation; UK mortgage approvals; and Eurozone consumer confidence. In the States, meanwhile, investors will be waiting for personal consumption and spending figures, as well as growth forecasts for the fourth quarter, jobless claims and pending home sales. BSkyB, Shell and Johnson Matthey rise Satellite broadcaster BSkyB gained after an 8% rise in revenue to £3.75bn in the first half, helped by strong growth in paid-for subscription products. Investors at oil major Royal Dutch Shell welcomed the company's announcement that it will undergo a major restructuring to boost capital and cut costs after it reported a sharp fall in fourth-quarter earnings. Johnson Matthey was also higher despite the news that its long-running boss Neil Carson would be stepping down this summer. The group gave an upbeat outlook for the second half of its financial year, saying that its performance will be ahead of previous expectations. Heading the other way was spirits manufacturer Diageo, which took a hit from weakness in emerging markets as it revealed that global sales growth was limited to just 1.8% in the first half. Lager giant SABMiller was also lower this morning, along with bottling firm Coca-Cola HBC. A number of banks were trading in the red this morning including Standard Chartered and RBS. Lloyds, meanwhile, was lower after analysts at HSBC reportedly cut their rating on the stock from 'overweight' to 'neutral'. Q4 Banks reporting, LLoyds , RBS , Barc - Buy or Sell? Download your complementary report now, Click Here.  Losses can exceed deposits FTSE 100 - Risers International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 413.50p +2.55% Royal Dutch Shell 'A' (RDSA) 2,169.00p +2.05% British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 860.50p +1.89% Royal Dutch Shell 'B' (RDSB) 2,280.50p +1.69% Sage Group (SGE) 420.60p +0.62% Aviva (AV.) 453.70p +0.62% William Hill (WMH) 332.50p +0.61% easyJet (EZJ) 1,610.00p +0.44% Pearson (PSON) 1,108.00p +0.36% Petrofac Ltd. (PFC) 1,161.00p +0.35% FTSE 100 - Fallers Diageo (DGE) 1,817.00p -4.87% Standard Chartered (STAN) 1,253.50p -2.64% Prudential (PRU) 1,218.00p -2.09% SABMiller (SAB) 2,749.00p -1.87% Unilever (ULVR) 2,354.00p -1.55% Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 1,627.00p -1.51% Carnival (CCL) 2,488.00p -1.39% Old Mutual (OML) 173.70p -1.36% Standard Life (SL.) 367.00p -1.32% Severn Trent (SVT) 1,733.00p -1.31% FTSE 250 - Risers Kazakhmys (KAZ) 187.10p +4.53% Renishaw (RSW) 1,880.00p +4.50% Homeserve (HSV) 322.60p +3.66% Workspace Group (WKP) 556.00p +2.21% 888 Holdings (888) 143.00p +2.14% AL Noor Hospitals Group (ANH) 835.00p +1.95% Essar Energy (ESSR) 60.50p +1.77% KCOM Group (KCOM) 99.70p +1.58% RPC Group (RPC) 586.00p +1.56% Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) 445.30p +1.55% FTSE 250 - Fallers Investec (INVP) 368.70p -4.58% Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO) 2,123.00p -2.48% Perform Group (PER) 238.90p -2.37% Lonmin (LMI) 320.70p -2.34% COLT Group SA (COLT) 124.20p -2.28% Premier Oil (PMO) 272.80p -1.69% Inchcape (INCH) 587.50p -1.67% Barr (A.G.) (BAG) 613.00p -1.45% Home Retail Group (HOME) 179.50p -1.27% UK Event Calendar Thursday January 30 INTERIMS Angle, British Sky Broadcasting Group, CPL Resources, Diageo, Hillshire Brands Company (The), Renishaw, Johnson Matthey INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Dairy Crest Group INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Balance of Payments (GER) (07:00) Bloomberg Consumer Confidence (US) (14:45) Business Climate Indicator (EU) (10:00) Continuing Claims (US) (13:30) Economic Sentiment Indicator (EU) (10:00) GDP (Advance) (US) (13:30) Initial Jobless Claims (US) (13:30) Pending Home Sales (US) (15:00) Unemployment Rate (GER) (08:55) Interest Rate Announcement (NZ) Unemployment Rate (JP) Consumer Price Index (JP) Q2 Hillshire Brands Company (The) Q3 Gail (India) Ltd GDR (Reg S) Q4 Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B' FINALS Kcell Joint Stock Co GDR (Reg S), Royal Dutch Shell 'A', Royal Dutch Shell 'B', Safestore Holdings, Mitchells & Butlers IMSS 3i Group, 888 Holdings, Euromoney Institutional Investor, Great Portland Estates, ITE Group, United Utilities Group, Brewin Dolphin, Fuller, Smith&Turner, Highland Gold (production report), Kazhakmys (production report), Playtech, National Grid EGMS Societatea Nationala De Gaze Naturale Romgaz S.A. GDR (Reg S) AGMS Euromoney Institutional Investor, Intandem Films, ITE Group, JPMorgan Indian Investment Trust, Lonmin, Mitchells & Butlers, Redefine International, Schroder Asia Pacific Fund, SWP Group, Ultrasis UK ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Consumer Credit (09:30) M4 Money Supply (09:30) M4 Sterling Lending (09:30) Mortgage Approvals (09:30) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Standard Life European Private Equity Trust, WH Smith iPad mini worth £269 for new trading accounts! A minimum volume is required. Terms and conditions apply. Find out more, click here. Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe open: Stocks fall on Fed tapering, Chinese manufacturing - Fed announces second round of tapering - Chinese manufacturing contracts - Eurozone consumer confidence out - German inflation released FTSE 100: -0.22% DAX: -0.12% CAC 40: -0.25% FTSE MIB: 0.04% IBEX 35: -0.50% Stoxx 600: -0.35% European stocks were mostly lower after the Federal Reserve announced a second round of stimulus tapering and a report showed a drop in Chinese manufacturing. The US central bank decided to trim monthly bond purchases by $10bn from $65bn after a two-day meeting which wrapped up yesterday. The Fed said "growth in economic activity picked up" since it last met in December. The bank also kept its overnight interest rate unchanged at 0%, saying it will remain near zero "well past the time" that unemployment falls below 6.5%. It was the last meeting under Chairman Ben Bernanke who will pass the baton to Janet Yellen. "Despite the declines in US markets overnight, the move by the Fed is welcome in a broader context; the central bank has now set a precedent of how much it will cut by, offering the market a level of clarity and shows commitment that even in the face of some mixed data in January (softer conditions in labour market) the Fed has made its mind up and there's no U-turning now," according to Ishaq Siddiqi, Market Strategist at ETX Capital. Also moving markets was a report from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics which revealed Chinese manufacturing contracted in January. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 49.5 this month from 50.5 in December, below the 49.6 consensus forecast and under the 50 level that signals expansion. The data comes amid concerns over a slowdown in the world's second largest economy. JPMorgan said China poses the greatest risk to emerging markets where currencies have slid, forcing central banks to tighten policies. Central banks in India, Turkey and South Africa raised interest rates this week to address the risk of sharp falls in currencies. Moving to today's agenda is the release of Eurozone consumer confidence figures, German inflation, US gross domestic product (GDP) and US initial jobless claims. Roche, Diageo Roche Holding slumped after the world's biggest maker of cancer drugs after reporting full-year profits that missed analysts' estimates. Diageo edged lower after the distiller posted an increase in first half profit that fell short of forecasts. Givaudan SA gained after the maker of flavours and fragrances unveiled full-year net income that surpassed market expectations. Ericsson was up after the maker of wireless networks reported fourth-quarter net income of 6.41bn kronor following a loss a year earlier. Banco Santander fell after the Spanish lender said fourth-quarter earnings came in lower than analysts had predicted. The euro dipped 0.31% to $1.3621. Brent crude futures rose $0.009 to $107.860 per barrel, ICE data revealed. NEW Trading Strategy - Currently running at 70% success rate Earn a tax free income trading, from just 20 minutes a day – no experience needed.  Our powerful trading software will help you decide when to enter trades and how to maximise profits. Register for a FREE brochure and trading guide, Click Here.  US Market Report US close: S&P 500 at two-month low as Fed continues to taper - Fed cuts asset purchases by a further 10bn dollars - Renewed turmoil in emerging markets - Boeing, Yahoo sink after results, Dow Chemical jumps Dow Jones: -1.19% Nasdaq: -1.15% S&P 500: -1.02% The three main US indices fell by over one per cent each on Wednesday with the S&P 500 falling to its lowest level in over two months after the Federal Reserve continued with its plan to reduce stimulus. The S&P 500 benchmark finished 1.02% lower at 1,774.20, its worst closing level since November 11th. As was widely expected, US policymakers tapered quantitative easing (QE) for the second month in a row despite some suggestions that the recent volatility in emerging markets could prompt the central bank to hold off. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to cut its monthly asset purchases by a further $10bn to $65bn after finding that economic growth had "picked up in recent quarters". "We expect the committee to continue reducing the pace of asset purchases by $10bn at each upcoming FOMC meeting through September, and then take a final $15bn reduction in October to conclude QE3," said Analyst Michael Gapen from Barclays. Renewed turmoil in emerging markets also ensured that US markets got off to a poor start early on as policy tightening in Turkey, India and South Africa failed to stop the downwards pressure on their respective countries. The currency weakness following an increase in interest rates "opens up a new, and potentially more worrying, phase of the recent turmoil in EM financial markets in which beleaguered policymakers find themselves unable to defend their currencies", according to analysts at Capital Economics. Boeing, Yahoo, Dow Chemical Aerospace firm Boeing beat forecasts for the fourth quarter with earnings rising 26% to $1.2bn on revenues which were up 7% at $23.8bn, but shares fell sharply after the company's guidance for 2014 disappointed. Internet giant Yahoo! dropped sharply after the company reported a drop in net sales in the fourth quarter and warned of slowing growth amid competition from Google and Facebook. Other tech stocks such as Apple, Intel and Facebook were also lower this morning. Dow Chemical surged after beating fourth-quarter earnings forecasts, raising its dividend and increasing its share buyback programme. Medivation surged up after saying its prostate-cancer drug Xtandi slowed cancer in 59% of patients in a study. T-Mobile US dropped following reports that Sprint Corp. would face resistance from antitrust officials to a potential acquisition of the company. S&P 500 - Risers Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $53.65 +4.13% Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) $86.52 +4.03% Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $44.73 +3.88% Symantec Corp. (SYMC) $24.15 +3.65% Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) $51.40 +2.39% Altera Corp. (ALTR) $32.97 +1.92% E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $60.71 +1.91% Tesoro Corp. (TSO) $51.85 +1.91% International Paper Co. (IP) $46.91 +1.69% Ball Corp (BLL) $49.07 +1.66% S&P 500 - Fallers Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) $34.89 -8.71% McCormick & Co. (MKC) $65.30 -6.21% Avon Products Inc. (AVP) $14.76 -5.69% Boeing Co. (BA) $129.78 -5.33% Sears Holdings Corp. (SHLD) $36.39 -5.26% Teradata Corp. (TDC) $42.07 -4.17% Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (PXD) $167.69 -3.90% Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) $20.61 -3.28% Delta Airlines Inc. (DAL) $29.92 -3.17% Plum Creek Timber Co. (PCL) $43.16 -3.16% Dow Jones I.A - Risers E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $60.71 +1.91% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $36.66 +1.08% Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $47.69 +0.70% 3M Co. (MMM) $130.25 +0.34% Dow Jones I.A - Fallers Boeing Co. (BA) $129.78 -5.33% Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $37.90 -2.50% Home Depot Inc. (HD) $76.68 -2.37% Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $71.33 -2.13% Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $90.62 -2.00% Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $77.64 -1.86% Visa Inc. (V) $217.12 -1.74% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $163.90 -1.41% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $88.90 -1.33% Nike Inc. (NKE) $71.77 -1.29% Nasdaq 100 - Risers Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $53.65 +4.13% Symantec Corp. (SYMC) $24.15 +3.65% Altera Corp. (ALTR) $32.97 +1.92% Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $146.67 +1.48% Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $415.08 +1.35% Activision Blizzard Inc. (ATVI) $16.92 +1.35% Nxp Semiconductors Nv (NXPI) $47.26 +1.22% Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $138.26 +1.18% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $36.66 +1.08% Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $281.54 +1.03% Nasdaq 100 - Fallers Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) $34.89 -8.71% Vimpelcom Ltd Ads (VIP) $9.65 -4.83% Baidu Inc. (BIDU) $158.12 -3.73% Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $71.56 -3.15% Autodesk Inc. (ADSK) $49.65 -3.10% Facebook Inc. (FB) $53.47 -3.03% Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $384.20 -2.59% Liberty Global plc Series A (LBTYA) $80.83 -2.56% Priceline.Com Inc. (PCLN) $1,133.79 -2.47% Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) $69.00 -2.38% The Share Centre: Cheaper fund investing has arrived at The Share Centre. We don't believe it's fair to charge you extra just for holding funds. So we don't. Find out more. Capital at risk. Click Here Newspaper Round Up Thursday newspaper round-up: BP, RBS, Scotland BP should remain barred from winning any new contracts with the American government because it has not demonstrated that it is a "responsible" contractor following the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the US Department of Justice has said. The oil giant is fighting to overturn a decision made by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2012, which banned all BP subsidiaries from pitching from any new contracts to supply or lease oil to the US government. – Daily Telegraph Royal Bank of Scotland is preparing to sell its American trading business as it struggles to raise capital after this week's shock profit warning. The bank, 81 per cent-owned by the taxpayer, has been under pressure from the Government to sell RBS Securities, formerly called RBS Greenwich Capital, because it ties up a lot of RBS's capital and has an aggressive investment banking culture. The latest row about RBS bonuses has hardened officials' attitude that the business should be sold because it employs about half of the bank's 11,000 investment bankers, including some of its highest-paid individuals, according to analysts' estimates. – The Times The Scottish Government last night admitted it would have to "pool" sovereignty with the rest of the UK if it wanted to keep the pound after independence. The admission came after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney warned an independent Scotland would have to surrender key economic levers to join in a currency union. It is understood the UK authorities could retain control over interest rates and exchange rates, and that limits could be applied to taxation and spending. – The Scotsman The Bank of England has blocked Santander UK's plans to hand its incoming deputy chief executive responsibility for risk management. The British arm of the Spanish lender has been forced to rethink its appointment of Nathan Bostock, currently finance director of Royal Bank of Scotland, to the joint role of deputy chief executive and chief risk officer. Mr Bostock is expected to join Santander later this year, but will only take the deputy chief executive job, while the lender looks for a new head of risk after the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Bank of England-run regulator of Britain's largest lenders, said he could not perform both jobs. - Daily Telegraph Vince Cable is demanding an urgent meeting with the boss of Lloyds Banking Group after the bailed-out bank made deep cuts to the number of its small business experts. The business secretary wrote to António Horta-Osório on Wednesday night after Lloyds said half the relationship managers handling small business queries that their roles were being made redundant as part of a long-running strategic review. – The Guardian The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the largest bank in the world by assets, is to take the country's first foothold in London's wholesale banking market. The state-backed bank is to buy control of Standard Bank's London commodities and currencies arm in a deal worth as much as $1.275bn (£770m). – Daily Telegraph   New ADVFN Service - FREE Reports Get your free report on Isa's, Investment Trusts, Funds, Sipps Travel and Cars - FREE and Easy service CLICK HERE To advertise in the Euro Markets Bulletin please contact patrick@advfn.co.uk     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. 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Evening Euro Markets Bulletin

ADVFN III Evening Euro Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Wednesday, 29 January 2014 17:17:37 Monitor Quote Charts News CFD's Spreadbetting Free BB   Sponsored by: Landcorp Canada off-plan plots with guaranteed resell From £30,000 with up to 48% returns in 36 months Download free brochure London Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts London close: Stocks swing into the red as investors weigh emerging markets, Fed - Stocks swing sharply into red in afternoon trade - Renewed EM currency volatility follows rate hikes - Wall Street lower ahead of Fed decision - Miners rise after strong updates, Sainsbury boss exits techMARK 2,768.00 -0.48% FTSE 100 6,544.28 -0.43% FTSE 250 15,688.31 -0.18% Market volatility returned in full force on Wednesday as UK stocks swung sharply into the red on the back of renewed concerns surrounding emerging markets and nervousness ahead of a policy decision in the States. The FTSE 100, which hit a high of 6,645.23 early on, dropped over 160 points to an intraday low of 6,482.74 this afternoon, before paring gains slightly before the close. The index finished 28.05 points lower at 6,544.28, a 0.4% fall on the day. Developing-nation currencies came under renewed pressure today despite central banks in Turkey, India and South Africa moving to tighten policy in an attempt to stabilise prices after a recent sell-off. After initial strength this morning, the Turkish lira and South African rand both fell against the dollar while the Indian rupee erased an earlier advance. The currency weakness following an increase in interest rates "opens up a new, and potentially more worrying, phase of the recent turmoil in EM financial markets in which beleaguered policymakers find themselves unable to defend their currencies", according to analysts at Capital Economics. UK markets were dampened further this afternoon after a weak start on Wall Street as traders awaited the outcome of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting later this evening. The Fed, which began tapering its stimulus programme last month by cutting monthly asset purchases from $85bn to $75bn, is widely expected to cut another $10bn today. However, the impact that the potential move will have on the emerging markets is still very much up in the air. Miners gain, Sainsbury slumps Mining stocks managed to hold on to gains today despite the wider market sell-off after some well-received production updates from blue-chip metal producers Antofagasta, Anglo American and Randgold Resources. Antofagasta was a high riser after unveiling a record year of copper production for 2013 and giving guidance for 2014 output that impressed; Anglo American also rose as it reported an increase in iron ore, copper, nickel and thermal coal production in the fourth quarter; Randgold Resources gained after saying that its Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine in Mali is likely to beat its revised production target for 2013. Heading the other way was Sainsbury as the departure of its long-running Chief Executive received a negative reaction from markets. United Utilities and BSkyB were among the worst performers ahead of their quarterly updates due out tomorrow morning. Investors at financial services group Old Mutual were underwhelmed by the company's plans for an expansion of its African business, with shares falling sharply this afternoon. Sector peer Prudential also finished lower. Carphone Warehouse jumped after being signed as the preferred partner of Samsung Electronics to operate more than 60 Samsung stand-alone stores across Europe. Luxury handbag and fashion group Mulberry plunged following a profit warning after UK Christmas trading fell short of hopes due to rival price-cutting. Q4 Banks reporting, LLoyds , RBS , Barc - Buy or Sell? Download your complementary report now, Click Here.  Losses can exceed deposits FTSE 100 - Risers Antofagasta (ANTO) 872.50p +6.08% Anglo American (AAL) 1,420.50p +5.73% Fresnillo (FRES) 781.50p +4.06% Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 4,235.00p +3.17% Royal Mail (RMG) 590.00p +1.99% Weir Group (WEIR) 2,143.00p +1.61% Vodafone Group (VOD) 226.30p +1.34% Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,247.50p +1.07% Next (NXT) 6,230.00p +0.97% TUI Travel (TT.) 422.00p +0.96% FTSE 100 - Fallers William Hill (WMH) 330.50p -3.08% British Sky Broadcasting Group (BSY) 844.50p -2.60% United Utilities Group (UU.) 719.00p -2.44% Prudential (PRU) 1,244.00p -2.35% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 348.50p -2.30% Old Mutual (OML) 176.10p -2.22% Meggitt (MGGT) 515.50p -2.00% BT Group (BT.A) 369.90p -1.94% British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,929.00p -1.88% Pearson (PSON) 1,104.00p -1.87% FTSE 250 - Risers Carphone Warehouse Group (CPW) 287.20p +6.69% Laird (LRD) 325.00p +5.21% COLT Group SA (COLT) 127.10p +4.61% African Barrick Gold (ABG) 222.00p +4.32% Lonmin (LMI) 328.40p +4.22% Petra Diamonds Ltd.(DI) (PDL) 136.40p +4.12% Homeserve (HSV) 311.20p +4.08% Howden Joinery Group (HWDN) 333.70p +4.05% Bank of Georgia Holdings (BGEO) 2,177.00p +3.67% Perform Group (PER) 244.70p +3.64% FTSE 250 - Fallers Cairn Energy (CNE) 213.70p -5.61% Evraz (EVR) 88.85p -4.62% BTG (BTG) 583.00p -3.72% Daejan Holdings (DJAN) 4,737.00p -3.68% Rank Group (RNK) 128.00p -3.40% Brewin Dolphin Holdings (BRW) 293.00p -3.08% Renishaw (RSW) 1,799.00p -2.91% Investec (INVP) 386.40p -2.87% Pennon Group (PNN) 678.50p -2.86% Merchants Trust (MRCH) 489.00p -2.59% iPad mini worth £269 for new trading accounts! A minimum volume is required. Terms and conditions apply. Find out more, click here. Europe Market Report FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Europe close: Stocks fall as EM currencies erase early gains - Turkey and India central banks raise interest rates - Irish central bank revises GDP estimates - German consumer confidence rises - Fed to announce possible taper FTSE 100: -0.43% DAX: -0.75% CAC 40: -0.68% FTSE MIB: -0.57% IBEX 35: 0.17% Stoxx 600: 0.57% European stocks were mostly lower as emerging market currencies erased initial gains after the Turkish central bank's decision to hike interest rates. At an emergency meeting yesterday the Turkish central bank lifted its overnight lending rate to 12% from 7.75%, its one-week repo rate to 10% from 4.5% and its overnight borrowing rate to 8% from 3.5%. However, the bank's move failed to soothe concerns that Turkey's economy will be left by a slowdown in China. The lira rose 4% on first reaction to the news of the interest rate increase before depreciating as much as 2.4%. According to JPMorgan, China remains the biggest risk to emerging markets. In the bank's latest Global Data Watch, JPMorgan noted the spillover effects from a possible disruption in China's shadow banking system. "Rising interbank rates, as liquidity is kept tight, continues to push up borrowing costs and, along with the slower growth, risks amplifying financial stress," economists said. India's central bank has also unexpectedly raised interest rates in an effort to curb high inflation. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised the benchmark repo rate - the amount at which it charges to lend to commercial banks - to 8% from 7.75%. German consumer confidence, Irish GDP German consumer confidence rose more than expected. GfK's forward-looking consumer sentiment index jumped to 8.2 in February from 7.7 the prior month, the highest since August 2007. Economists had predicted a drop to 7.6. In Ireland, the central bank revised its gross domestic product (GDP) estimate higher, driven by expectations of strength in external demand. In its Quarterly Bulletin published on Wednesday, the Irish monetary authority revised GDP growth for last year to 0.4%, from the prior 0.5%, while slightly increasing its forecast for 2014 to 2.1%, from the previous 2.0% estimate. Federal Reserve policy Analysts expect the US Federal Reserve will announce a further $10bn stimulus cut when it wraps up its policy meeting after the European close. In December the central bank began to trim monthly asset purchases by $10bn to $75bn. Today's meeting marks Ben Bernanke's last as Chairman before handing the baton over to Janet Yellen. Nordea Bank, Fiat Nordea Bank dropped after its Chief Executive Christian Clausen said it will need to cut more jobs to adjust to slow growth. Fiat was down after the car maker posted fourth quarter earnings the missed analysts' estimates. Mulberry Group declined after the British luxury-handbag maker said full-year pre-tax profit will be substantially below current market estimates. Antofagasta edged higher after the copper company said output climbed to a record 721,200 metric tonnes in 2013. Vodafone Group jumped following reports AT&T is still interested in a potential takeover of the mobile-phone operator. Anglo American rallied after reporting a 25% increase in fourth-quarter platinum production. The euro fell 0.07% to $1.3662. Brent crude futures edged up $0.353 to $107.790 per barrel, according to data from the ICE. NEW Trading Strategy - Currently running at 70% success rate Earn a tax free income trading, from just 20 minutes a day – no experience needed.  Our powerful trading software will help you decide when to enter trades and how to maximise profits. Register for a FREE brochure and trading guide, Click Here.  US Market Report US open: Stocks sink as investors await Fed decision - Taper in focus ahead of Fed decision - Analysts show concerns with EM rate hikes - Boeing and Yahoo! slump after results, Dow Chemicals rises Dow Jones: -0.73% Nasdaq: -0.54% S&P 500: -0.62% Just as sentiment began to recover following the emerging markets-led sell-off at the end of last week, US markets opened with sharp losses on Wednesday as investors showed caution ahead of the Federal Reserve policy meeting which comes to a close later this evening. Meanwhile, investors were reacting to a 0.2% decline in US mortgage applications last week, along with a mixed batch of earnings from heavyweights Boeing, Yahoo! and Dow Chemical. The Fed, which began tapering its stimulus programme last month by cutting monthly asset purchases from $85bn to $75bn, is widely expected to cut another $10bn today. Positive effects of rate hikes begin to fade Stocks in Europe had started the day on the front foot earlier on after Turkey hiked interest rates to halt a slide in the lira which sunk to a record low against the dollar on Monday. India and South Africa also followed suit in an effort to ensure price stability. However, the initial positive effects from the rate increases quickly faded with the lira in particular erasing earlier gains against the greenback, as analysts warned of the negative impact that policy tightening would have on the economy. "While the rate hike has helped stem lira weakness in the short - term, it increases the chances of slower growth and a domestic credit crunch in the medium term," said analysts at RBS. They said that the decision highlights the "dilemma" being faced by other emerging-market central banks. European indices were pressured firmly into the red ahead of the US opening bell. Boeing, Yahoo, Dow Chemical Aerospace firm Boeing beat forecasts for the fourth quarter with earnings rising 26% to $1.2bn on revenues which were up 7% at $23.8bn, but shares fell sharply after the company's guidance for 2014 disappointed. Internet giant Yahoo! dropped sharply after the company reported a drop in net sales in the fourth quarter and warned of slowing growth amid competition from Google and Facebook. Other tech stocks such as Apple, Intel and Facebook were also lower this morning. Dow Chemical surged after beating fourth-quarter earnings forecasts, raising its dividend and increasing its share buyback programme. Biogen Idec advanced after posting fourth-quarter profit that beat surpassed forecasts. Medivation edged up after saying its prostate-cancer drug Xtandi slowed cancer in 59% of patients in a study. T-Mobile US dropped following reports that Sprint Corp. would face resistance from antitrust officials to a potential acquisition of the company. The Share Centre: Cheaper fund investing has arrived at The Share Centre. We don't believe it's fair to charge you extra just for holding funds. So we don't. Find out more. Capital at risk. Click Here Broker Tips Broker tips: Antofagasta, Brewin Dolphin, Carpetright Westhouse Securities has maintained its 'buy' rating and 1,000p target for Chilean mining group Antofagasta after production guidance for 2014 came in ahead of forecasts. "For 2014, guidance for copper is a fraction above our estimate (of 702,000t) and gold guidance at 270,000oz is well above our 248,000oz estimate, so in all likelihood this calls for upgrades to both 2013 and 2014 estimates, but we shall review the detail first. So, well done Antofagasta, good production results," the broker said. Canaccord Genuity has lowered its recommendation for wealth management firm Brewin Dolphin despite an in-line first quarter. "Brewin Dolphin shares have performed well: since December 4th they are up 8.1% (10.4% relative to the FTSE All Share); over the past three months there are up 7.4% (8.5% relative) and over the past year up they have risen 43.9% (30.0% relative). As we anticipate only a 4.2% total shareholder return over the next 12 months, we reduce our investment recommendation from 'buy' to 'hold'." N+1 Singer has kept its 'buy' rating for floorings retailer Carpetright despite another profit warning for the firm this week, saying it still remains upbeat about its turnaround plans. "The 'buy' case remains dependent upon an operationally geared recovery in the UK as a raft of positive self-help initiatives coincide with recovery in Carpetright's addressable markets."   New ADVFN Service - FREE Reports Get your free report on Isa's, Investment Trusts, Funds, Sipps Travel and Cars - FREE and Easy service CLICK HERE To advertise in the Euro Markets Bulletin please contact patrick@advfn.co.uk     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49

ADVFN Newsdesk - Doubts Resurface as Fed Decision Nears

ADVFN  World Daily Markets Bulletin Daily world financial news Wednesday, 29 January 2014 10:49:15    Monitor Quote Charts News Toplists Forex Boards   Sponsored by: VectorVest Beat the market – Guaranteed! Discover trading plans that beat the market year after year and tell you exactly when to buy, what to buy and when to sell. Click Here US Market The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a notably lower opening on Wednesday, as doubts concerning a return to sustainable trend-like growth resurface amid the monetary policy uncertainty. With earnings coming in mixed and ahead of the FOMC decision, sentiment has turned extremely pessimistic. That said, a market positive FOMC statement could allay all doubts and fears and trigger buying interest. U.S. stocks rebounded on Tuesday, as traders focused on some positive earnings and a better than expected consumer confidence reading. The major averages opened mixed but turned uniformly higher in early trading. The Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 Index held above the unchanged line throughout the session before closing higher. Ignoring a weak start, the Nasdaq Composite turned higher and advanced in the morning only to retreat into negative territory by the mid session. However, the index recovered in late afternoon trading and advanced thereafter before closing up 14.35 points or 0.35 percent at 4,098. The Dow Industrials ended up 90.68 points or 0.57 percent at 15,929 and the S&P 500 Index closed 10.94 points or 0.61 percent higher at 1,793. Fourteen of the thirty Dow components closed higher, with Visa (V), Pfizer and General Electric leading the gains. On the other hand, Cisco Systems and DuPont posted notable losses. Housing, transportation, biotechnology, Gold and financial stocks were among the biggest gainers of the session. On the economic front, The Commerce Department reported that durable goods orders fell by 4.3 percent month-over-month in December. Excluding transportation, orders were still down 1.6 percent. Shipments of core non-defense capital goods orders, excluding aircraft and parts, used in GDP calculations, fell 0.2 percent. The weakness in the headline durable goods orders was mainly due to declines in orders for vehicles/parts, computers/electronics and metals. However, electric equipment and machinery orders rose. Meanwhile, the Conference Board reported that its consumer confidence index rose to 80.7 in January from 77.5 in December. The present conditions index rose to 79.1 from 75.3, while the expectations index climbed 2.8 points to 81.8. With yesterday's rebound, The Dow Industrials has stalled its recent negativity. If the index builds on this momentum, it remains on track to test resistance around 16,015. Other resistances for the index lie around 16,072, 16,120, its 50-day MA (currently at 16,159), 16,229 and its 21-day MA (currently at 16,352). On the downside, the index has support around 15,826, 15,879 and its 100-day MA (currently at 15,766). Retired Talk Show Host Reveals Shocking Secret "Almost anyone can collect income checks from the government," he says. "And it's all tax-free." Read More US Economic Reports CADUSD Oil Gold Allbanc Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The Energy Information is scheduled to release its weekly petroleum status report for the week ended January 24th at 10:30 am ET. Crude Oil stockpiles rose by 1 million barrels to 351.2 million barrels. Inventories are now in the upper half of the average range for this time of the year. Gasoline inventories increased by 2.1 million barrels and were well above the upper limit of the average range. Meanwhile, distillate inventories fell by 3.2 million barrels and were well below the lower limit of the average range. Refinery capacity utilization averaged 90.3 percent over the four weeks ended January 17th compared to 91.8 percent over the four weeks ended January 10th. The Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to make its announcement concerning monetary policy at 2 pm ET. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade Stocks in Focus FTSE 100 Euronext Dax perf CAC 40 Please click on the images to view our interactive charts AT&T (T) reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings of 53 cents per share on revenues of $33.2 billion, up 1.8 percent. The earnings trailed estimates, while the revenues were ahead of expectations. For 2014, the company expects revenue growth of 2-3 percent and adjusted earnings per share growth in the mid-single digit range. Yahoo! reported fourth quarter non-GAAP earnings of 46 cents per share on revenues, excluding traffic acquisition costs, of $1.2 billion. The earnings were ahead of estimates and the revenues were in line. Amgen reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings of $7.60 per share on revenues of $5.01 billion, up 13 percent. For 2014, the company expects revenues in the range of $19.2 billion to $19.6 billion and adjusted earnings of $7.90-$8.20 per share. The results exceeded estimates but the guidance was lukewarm. Electronic Arts reported third quarter adjusted earnings of 57 cents per share on revenues of $1.57 billion. The earnings exceeded estimates, while the revenues were below estimates. The company raised its 2014 earnings per share guidance above expectations, while it lowered its revenue estimate. Arthur J. Gallagher reported fourth quarter net earnings of 45 cents per share on revenues of $890.2 million, missing the consensus estimates. RF Micro Devices reported third quarter earnings above estimates, while its revenues trailed expectations. The company's fourth quarter guidance was weak. Hutchison Technology reported a first quarter non-GAAP loss of 26 cents per share on net sales of $70.3 million. The company said it expects suspension assembly shipments in the seasonally weak second quarter to be 105 million to 110 million and average selling price to be relatively flat. ACE reported fourth quarter operating income of $2.39 per share, ahead of estimates. Teva announced that the FDA has approved its supplemental NDA for three-times-a-week COPAXONE for treating multiple sclerosis. HanesBrands announced a 50 percent increase in its dividend to 30 cents per share. The company is also scheduled to release its financial results after the close of trading. Amdocs , AvlonBay , Cabot , CACI International , Callaway Golf , Citrix Systems , Duke Realty (DUKE), Facebook , Flextronics , Lam Research , Las Vegas Sands , Murphy Oil (MUR), Qiagen , Qlogic (QLGC), Qualcomm and Symantec are also among the companies due to release their quarterly results after the close of trading. No platform or data fees with no trade minimums Trade free for 60 days + get up to $600 cash. Join TD Ameritrade European Market European markets have given back all their early gains and are currently notably lower, as risk aversion takes hold of the markets. Earlier the markets have climbed, latching onto the positive mood in Asia and the U.S. overnight, with the positive sentiment cemented by a better than expected German consumer sentiment reading. In corporate news, Novartis reported a drop in its fourth quarter core operating profits, hurt by currency effects, while sales rose 4 percent. The company expects 2014 sales to increase by a low to mid-single-digit percentage in constant currencies. Anglo American reported higher output for the fourth quarter. Copper miner Antofagasta also reported an increase in its Copper output for the year. On the economic front, German consumer confidence is set to improve for the fifth month in a row in February, according to the results of a survey by market research group GfK. The forward-looking consumer confidence index rose strongly to 8.2 points from an upwardly revised 7.7 points in January, marking the highest since August 2007. Economists had expected a reading of 7.6. Nationwide reported that its house price index for the U.K. climbed 8.8 percent annually in January, marking the fastest growth since May 2010. Nevertheless, prices are around 4 percent below their 2007 peak. Economists had expected an increase of 8.5 percent. Asian Markets USDCAD USDEUR USDGBP USDJPY Please click on the images to view our interactive charts The Asian markets advanced, encouraged by the positive close by Wall Street stocks overnight and the alleviation of concerns about slowing growth and the Fed tapering. The Japanese market led the gains in the region, helped by the retreat in the value of the yen. Japan's Nikkei 225 average opened higher and moved sideways in the morning. After legging up in the mid-session, the index moved sideways once again in the afternoon before closing up 403.75 points or 2.70 percent at 15,384. The market witnessed broad based strength, led by Alps Electric, Sharp, Nitto Boseki, Astellas Pharma, Tokyo Electric Power and Toho Zinc. Australia's All Ordinaries hovered above the unchanged line throughout the session and ended up 52.60 points or 1.01 percent at 5,241. Healthcare, material and financial stocks drove the gains. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed at 22,142, up 180.97 points or 0.82 percent, and China's Shanghai Composite Index added 11.40 points or 0.56 percent before closing at 2,050. Westpac and the Melbourne Institute reported that their leading economic indicators index for Australia rose at a slower pace of 1.06 percent in December compared to 1.12 percent in November. The gun debate reveals game-changing technology And provides proof that we could be at the exact tipping point to deliver monster-sized gains. Read more... Currency and Commodities Markets Crude Oil futures are receding $0.32 to $97.09 a barrel after rising $1.69 to $97.41 a barrel on Tuesday. An ounce of Gold is currently-trading at 1,265.30, up $14.50 from the previous session's close of $1,250.80. On Tuesday, Gold fell $12.60. Among currencies, the U.S. dollar is trading at 102.36 yen compared to 102.94 yen it fetched at the close of trading on Tuesday. Against the euro, the dollar is valued at $1.3623 compared to yesterday's $1.3671.     To unsubscribe from this news bulletin or edit your mailing list settings click here. Registered Office/Accounts Dept: Suite 27, Essex Technology Centre, The Gable, Fyfield Road, Ongar, CM5 0GA. Customer Support +44 (0) 207 0700 961. Company registered in England and Wales: Number 2374988 VAT No. GB 549 2130 49