A drop in US unemployment claims helped push Asian markets higher on Friday. The Kospi climbed 1.1%, and the ASX 200 added 1.2%, led by materials stocks. The Shanghai Composite rose .9%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 1.4%, gaining 1.9% for the week. The Nikkei was closed for a holiday.
The equity rally continued in Europe, as the FTSE and CAC40 rallied 1%, while the DAX gained .5%. Oil and gas stocks were the largest gainers, as crude oil continued its recent advance.
Similar gains were achieved in the US. The Dow climbed 124 points, the S&P 500 gained .9%, and the Nasdaq rose .7%. Congress passed a 2 month extension on a payroll tax cut, which affects 160 million workers.
Dow Rallies 124 Points
Rambus shares jumped 12% after signing a licensing agreement with Broadcom.
Currencies
The major pairs traded in narrow ranges as the market prepared for the extended holiday weekend.. The Euro closed down fractionally at 1.3048, while the Swiss Franc, Australian Dollar, and Yen all edged up .1%. The British Pound was a notable mover, dropping .6% to 1.5588.
Economic Outlook
Yet another report suggested that the US housing market is finally beginning to recover, as new home sales edged up to 315K, better than last month’s 310K, and slightly above expectations.
Equities Trade Narrowly
Equities
Asian markets traded lower in thin trading, following Monday’s holiday closure of American and European markets. The Nikkei declined .5% to 8441, and the Kospi dropped .8% to 1842. China’s Shanghai Composite sank 1.1% to 2166 on extremely light volume. Markets in Australia and Hong Kong remained closed.
In Europe, the DAX edged up .2%, and the CAC40 closed up fractionally in light trading. Markets in the UK were closed for an extended weekend. Italy’s MIB index dropped 1% as regional banks fell following a weak bond auction.
Currencies
Currency markets traded in very narrow ranges as the world remained on vacation. The Dollar settled mostly lower, as the Euro edged up .1% to 1.3068, and the Pound gained .3% to 1.5668. The Yen and the Swiss Franc both rose .2% to 77.87 and 1.0707 respectively. The Australian Dollar and the Canadian Dollar slipped fractionally.
Economic Outlook
Tuesday’s economic data was mixed. The Case-Shiller home price index showed house prices continued to drop, with the annual rate reaching 3.4%, slightly more than expected. The Richmond manufacturing index rose to 3 from last month’s zero reading, but fell shy of forecasts. Consumer Confidence jumped to 64.5 from last month’s 55.2 reading, blowing past analyst expectations.
Dollar and Bonds Surge
Equities
Asian markets extended their declines on Wednesday in very thin trading. Korea’s Kospi skidded .9% to 1825, the Nikkei edged down .2%, and the ASX 200 dropped 1.3%. The Hang Seng closed down .6% to 18519, while the Shanghai Composite managed a slight .2% gain.
European markets fell, pressured by an ECB report showing banks were increasingly depositing cash with the central bank, rather than lend to each other. The DAX tumbled 2%, the CAC40 slid 1%, and Italy’s MIB declined .7%. The FTSE closed flat, as gains in retailers offset losses from other sectors. An auction of 6-month Italian bonds was a major success, with yields dropping to 3.25%, compared to 6.5% just one month ago.
US stocks dropped sharply, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 both dropping 1.3%, and the Dow losing 140 points to 12151.
Currencies
The Dollar surged, while European currencies plunged. The Euro dropped 1% to 1.2935, hitting a 1-year low, the Pound fell 1.4% to 1.5448, and the Swiss Franc sank .9% to 1.0607. The Australian Dollar declined .6% to 1.0090, and the Canadian Dollar slid .5% to 1.0244. The Yen slipped fractionally to 77.92.
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Economic Outlook
Thursday’s economic calendar will include weekly unemployment claims, Chicago PMI, pending home sales, and weekly oil inventories.
Stocks Rally as Housing Market Recovers
Equities
Asian markets traded mostly lower in anxious anticipation of an Italian auction for 10-year notes, later in the day. The Nikkei eased .3% to 8399, the ASX 200 closed down .4%. Korea’s Kospi ended flat, despite a disappointing factory output report. The Hang Seng slid .7% to 18398, while China’s Shanghai Composite managed a slight gain of .2%.
Meanwhile, European markets rallied, lifted by upbeat US economic data. The CAC40 jumped 1.8%, the DAX advanced 1.3%, and the FTSE rose 1.1%. Italy succeeded in selling 7 billion Euros of 10-year notes at 6.98%, an improvement from November’s 7.56% rate, but still incredibly high.
US stocks rose, with the Dow climbing 136 points to 12287. The S&P 500 gained 1.1%, and the Nasdaq closed up .9%.
Currencies
The Dollar traded moderately lower against most currencies. The Euro recovered from a morning drop down to 1.2860, to settle at 1.2963, up .2%. The Canadian Dollar and Swiss Franc rose .3%, and the Yen gained .4% to 77.64. The British Pound declined .2% to 1.5416, but was well off its intraday low of 1.5364.
Economic Outlook
Pending home sales surged 7.3% in the last month, blowing past analyst expectations for a 1.7% gain. Chicago PMI was reported at 62.5, better than expected. Less impressively, weekly jobless claims were worse than the 372K forecast, rising to 381K from last week’s 366K.