Asian shares rose, snapping two days of losses, as Japan's Nikkei 225 Stocks Average reversed 1% losses after the Yen fell. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.4% to 131.28. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 0.4% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 0.2%, whereas China's Shanghai Composite Index slid 0.6% and South Korea's Kospi Index slipped 0.3%.
Farm commodities, excluding corn, finished Tuesday's session in the red territory, being pressured by solid US Dollar. Increased caution ahead of the USDA monthly report on global supplies also weighed on rural commodities. Wheat edged lower ahead of the key USDA report due on Friday. However, the grain may seek support on US winter crop concerns and lower Argentina's harvest.
Energy futures were mixed on Tuesday amid expectations of the US inventory buildup this week. Firmness of the US Dollar and dismal economic reports from the Eurozone also pushed energy prices lower. Moreover, concerns over looming debt limit dispute in the US added to losses of the commodity group.Crude oil eased as investors bet on an increase in the US
Industrial metals apart from zinc went higher despite weak data from the Eurozone. German factory orders dropped 1.8% in November compared to a forecast of a 1.4% decrease. However, expectations of strong China's data due on Thursday supported base metals.Aluminum jumped on positive outlook on global demand. Alcoa predicts global aluminum consumption to grow 7% in 2013 as economic recovery
Precious metals rebounded on Tuesday ahead of the closely-watched ECB meeting due on Thursday. Hopes that the Fed will stick to its stimulus measures amid weak state of the jobs market lent support for precious metals. Meanwhile, investors continued to monitor developments across the US debt ceiling talks. Gold erased some of the previous losses on strong physical demand from
The Canadian Dollar, also called Loonie, fell by 0.1% to 98.67 cents per U.S. Dollar in the end of Toronto trading session on Tuesday. The Loonie depreciates the first time in three days or after gaining 0.2%. Investors changes their preferences for currency, as global risk appetite notably ebbed. The Loonie maintains strong correlations for equities and commodities, which have
The Yen dropped by 0.4% to 87.41 per Dollar and fell by 0.4% to 114.28 per Euro at 1.45 p.m. in Tokyo trading session on Wednesday. The Japanese currency weakens against the major counterparts, as market expects to see an expansion of monetary easing, which will decrease a value of the currency. The BOJ holds a next meeting on January
The Australian Dollar, also called the Aussie, was unchanged at $1.0503 in the end of Sydney trading session on Wednesday. The Aussie halts its gain after a three-day appreciation period, when increased by 0.4%. Today, the Australian Dollar struggles, as the government announced about an unexpected 0.1% retail sales fall. Also, job vacancies dropped by 6.9% in the same month,
German shares dropped on falling exports from the largest economy in Europe and declined factory orders. In addition, investors also held back, waiting for the fourth-quarter earnings session in the U.S. The DAX index declined 0.4% to 7,705.14. The index has still advanced 1.2% this year. Telecommunications and health care were the only sectors advancing in the gauge by 0.7%
U.K shares stayed little changed on Tuesday fading concern that the recent surge in shares has overestimated the outlook for corporate profits.The FTSE 100 Index rose 0.1%, or 3.19 points, to 6,067.77. The benchmark index gained 2.8% last week. All but three sectors declined in the gauge.Telecommunications shares rallied 1.85%, showing the biggest gain in the FTSE 100 index. An
Hong Kong blue chips dropped on falling Japanese exporters, as the yen appreciated against its major counterparts.The Hang Seng index lost 0.94% to 23,111.19, touching its lowest level this year. Six out of nine sectors edged lower in the gauge. The sectors that shrank the most were basic materials, oil and gas, and financials, tumbling 1.6%, 1.4% and 1.2%, respectively.
Japanese shares dropped as the Yen kept appreciating against its 16 major counterparts and lowered the profit outlook for the exporters. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.9% to 10,508.06. Only three out of ten groups in the benchmark index edged higher. Among the best performers were Unitika, Sharp Corporation and Nitto Boseki with their shares rallying 4.1%, 3.9% and 3.8%, respectively.
U.S. blue chips slumped after the S&P 500 index advanced to its five-year high last week, as U.S. lawmakers approved a budget bill to halt the so-called "fiscal cliff". The Dow Jones Industrial Average eased 0.4%, or 50.92 points, to 13,384.29. Only two out of nine sectors edged higher. Telecommunications sector posted biggest gains, as the shares of Verizon Communications
U.S. equities dropped on Monday as investors stepped back to the side lines, awaiting the beginning of the new corporate earnings season starting on Tuesday. The S&P index tumbled 0.3% to 1,461.89 after closing at its highest since 2007 last week. All but two sectors declined in the gauge. Celgene Corp, global biopharmaceutical company, was the best performer with its
Japanese shares dropped as the Yen kept appreciating against its 16 major counterparts and lowered the profit outlook for the exporters. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.9% to 10,508.06. Only three out of ten groups in the benchmark index edged higher. Among the best performers were Unitika, Sharp Corporation and Nitto Boseki with their shares rallying 4.1%, 3.9% and 3.8%, respectively.
Hong Kong blue chips dropped on falling Japanese exporters, as the yen appreciated against its major counterparts. The Hang Seng index lost 0.94% to 23,111.19, touching its lowest level this year. Six out of nine sectors edged lower in the gauge. The sectors that shrank the most were basic materials, oil and gas, and financials, tumbling 1.6%, 1.4% and 1.2%,
Consumer confidence in the Eurozone changed slightly in the month of December, when it increased to -26.5 from -26.9 in the month before, the European Commission reported on Tuesday. The Euro area consumer confidence historical average measured from 1985 until 2012 is -12.47, while the high from May 2000 is 2.70 and the low recorded in March 2009 is -34.20."We have not yet
Unemployment rate of Switzerland in 2012 was among the three lowest figures of the last ten year, when it reached 2.9% following 2.8% the year before, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs has reported. Jobless rate for the last month of 2012 recorded 3.3% with 142,309 unemployed people compared to the Eurozone's equivalent of 11.8% in November."Despite a particularly demanding
Unemployment in the 17-nation bloc rose in line with economists expectations in November to the highest level since the data began to be released in 1995 amid unfavorable economic situation and tough fiscal measures, the European Union's statistical office in Luxembourg reported on Tuesday. The Eurozone jobless rate went up from 11.7% in October to 11.8% the following month."In the
German exports adjusted for seasonal changes shrunk 3.4% in November comparing with the previous month, as the Federal Statistics Office announced on Tuesday. Exports declined faster than a 0.5% economists' prediction. Imports of the biggest Euro Union member decreased by 3.7%. The sovereign debt crisis and weaker demand are markedly hurting German economy.
The Euro increased by 0.4% to $1.3117 in the end of New York trading session on Monday. The major currency pair rose for a second consecutive session against the Dollar from almost a 3-month low. Investors trade the Euro negative, amid concern that the Euro region economy is faltering. Also, the ECB holds a meeting on the 10th of January
The Indian Rupee will appreciate more than 10% in 2013, as the top forecasts from from investment banks say. That would be the biggest gain in last six years. As analysts say, the RBI, the central bank of India, will reduce its interest rate by 25 basis points to 7.75 and lower the highest borrowing cost among the biggest Asian
Rural commodities were bullish on Monday amid worries over US crops and broadly softer US Dollar. Moreover, an expected increase in index funds holdings of the 2012 top laggards spurred rally of softs. Meanwhile, the investors' focus remained on this Friday's USDA report on global supply and demand estimates.Wheat climbed on speculation that unfavorable weather conditions are weighting on US
Energy futures except for natural gas rebounded on Monday, being supported by weaker greenback. Boosting oil prices, expansion project of the Seaway Pipeline is expected to start pumping about 400,000 barrels per day to Cushing compared to original capacity of 150,000 barrels per day. Meanwhile, bottom fishers took advantage of a recent decline in prices on fears that US debt