Friday 31 August 2012

ASIAN SHARES


Asian shares fell on Friday as investors cooled expectations that Bernanke will offer any signal of a further monetary stimulus when he speaks at an annual Jackson Hole meeting of central bankers later in the day.

U.S.STOCK


The US accelerate their losses in the final minutes of trading to close near session lows, with the S&P 500 closing just below the key 1,400 level, a day ahead of the Fed's Jackson Hole meeting and following reports that Spain may delay its decision on seeking a bailout. The CBOE volatility index jumped to close near 18.


U.S.TRSEARIES


Benchmark 10-year notes were trading 10/32 higher in price to yield 1.62 percent, down from 1.65 percent late Wednesday. The notes have rallied from a yield of 1.86 percent at the beginning of last week, but remain above a record low of 1.38 percent reached on July 25.

S&P

Standard & Poor’s 500 shed 0.78% or 11.01 points at 1399.48.


EURO


The euro stood at $1.2502, near its low so far this week, though it looks likely to end up on the month as hopes that the European Central Bank could start buying Spanish bonds to lower Madrid's borrowing costs have supported the currency.


FTSE

The FTSE 100 closed down 24.08 points, or 0.4 percent, at 5,719.45, in volumes just 58 percent of their 90-day daily average.

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NIKKEI


The Nikkei down 1.11 percent to 8,884.21.


U.S.CRUDE


U.S. crude futures were steady after falling 0.9 percent a day earlier as Hurricane Isaac, now a much weaker tropical depression, was seen posing no further threat to most energy infrastructure on the U.S. Gulf Coast.


BRENT CRUDE


Brent October crude edged up 11 cents to settle at $112.65 a barrel, having swung from $112.25 to $113.44.

SHANGHAI COPPER


The most active December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange fell 0.5 percent to 55,420 yuan ($8,700) per tonne, catching up with previous losses in London. It is on track to post a 1.2 percent rise on the month.


LME COPPER


Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange had edged up 0.1 percent to $7,575.25 per tonne by 0122 GMT, set to end four sessions of losses and on course to log a 0.2 percentmonthly gain.


COPPER


London copper was on track to snap four sessions of losses on Friday, edging up as investors covered short positions ahead of the Jackson Hole meeting of central bankersthat they hope will offer trading cues.



U.S.GOLD


U.S. gold futures were also little changed at $1,656.80 an ounce.   



SPOT GOLD


Spot gold was little changed at $1,655.41 an ounce not far from a 4-1/2 month high of $1,676.45 hit on Monday, when investors bought the metal on expectation of further monetary easing by the Fed.



GOLD


Gold held steady on Friday ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, who may hint at a third round of U.S. bond-buying to stimulate the economy -- a move which could prompt a turn to bullion as a hedge against inflation.



U.S.MARKET UPDATE


U.S. stocks fell on Thursday after several days of muted trading as investors took a defensive posture before Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s much-awaited speech on Friday.
Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.81% or 106.77 points at 13000.71. Nasdaq Composite slipped 1.05% or 32.48 points at 3048.71. Standard & Poor’s 500 shed 0.78% or 11.01 points at 1399.48.


Thursday 30 August 2012

ASIAN SHARES


Asian shares eased and major currencies stayed range-bound on Thursday as investors avoided betting on direction before a speech by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, with focus on whether there will be any hint about further U.S. stimulus.


U.S.STOCK

The US markets eke out marginal gains following the Fed’s beige book report, but trading was thin and muted throughout most of the session as investors remained cautious ahead of Chairman Bernanke’s speech tomorrow. The CBOE volatility index rose more than 3% to above 17.


S&P

Standard & Poor’s 500 was up 0.08% or 1.19 points at 1410.49.




EURO


The euro started Asian trade in familiar ranges on Thursday as key risk events including the Jackson Hole meeting of central bankers loomed, but investors continued to give commodity currencies a wide berth.

FTSE


The FTSE 100 ended down 32.18 points, or 0.6 percent, at 5,743.53, after closing 0.02 percent lower on Tuesday, in volume at just 66 percent of the 90-day daily average.


PLATINUM


Platinum edged up 0.3 percent to $1,515.99 an ounce


SILVER


Silver eased 0.3 percent to $30.75 an ounce


U.S.GOLD


U.S. October crude settled down 84 cents at $95.49 a barrel. Its $96.37 session peak fell short of the 200-day moving average of $96.72.


BRENT CRUDE


Brent crude prices edged lower in choppy trading on Wednesday, while U.S. oil futures fell on expectations that damage to oil facilities from Hurricane Isaac will be limited and in reaction to data showing a sharp rise in U.S. crude oil stocks.


SHANGHAI COPPER


The most active December copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange edged down 0.1 percent to 55,140 yuan($8,700) per tonne, extending losses to a third day.


LME COPPER


On the London Metal Exchange (LME), benchmark copper  closed at $7,575 a tonne versus a last bid of $7,640 on Tuesday. Earlier, it touched a session low of $7,531, its cheapest in more than a week.


COPPER


Copper fell to a one-week low in heavy volume on Wednesday, pressured by more signs of economic slowing in top metals consumer China and by nervousness ahead of central bankers meeting later this week.


U.S.GOLD


U.S. gold futures for December delivery settled down $6.70 an ounce at $1,663. Trading volume was 30 percent below its 30-day average, preliminary Reuters data showed.


SPOT GOLD


Spot gold was down 0.5 percent at $1,658.11 an ounce by 2:47 p.m. EDT (1847 GMT), its biggest one-day drop in two weeks.


GOLD

Gold fell on Wednesday as upwardly revised figures for U.S. economic growth triggered profit-taking in the precious metal after its recent rally on speculation of new stimulus from the Federal Reserve.


U.S.MARKET UPDATE


The US markets eke out marginal gains following the Fed’s beige book report, but trading was thin and muted throughout most of the session as investors remained cautious ahead of Chairman Bernanke’s speech tomorrow. The CBOE volatility index rose more than 3% to above 17.
Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.03% or 4.49 points at 13107.48. Nasdaq Composite was up 0.13% or 4.05 points at 3081.19. Standard & Poor’s 500 was up 0.08% or 1.19 points at 1410.49.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

ASIAN SHARES


Asian shares steadied on Wednesday as investors awaited Bernanke's Friday speech for signs of whether the bank will opt for more monetary stimulus and a European Central Bank policy meeting next week.

U.S.STOCK

The US markets closed flat in another lackluster session, following a pair of mixed economic reports and ahead of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s speech on Friday at Jackson Hole.