West Texas Intermediate oil swung between gain and losses on Wednesday after it recorded its first fall in four days yesterday as the U.S. report showed that stockpiles rose for the second straight week. June WTI futures were traded 12 cents higher at $95.75 a barrel on the NYMEX as of 1:02 p.m. in Singapore after they dropped 54 cents
Business activity in the United Kingdom's small and medium-sized companies stood at a weaker-than-forecast level in a three-month period ended in April as new orders and output fell, the latest figure released by the Confederation of British Industry revealed on Tuesday. According to the SME survey, the fall of new orders and output was driven by weaker domestic and export
The European currency declined against the U.S. Dollar on Tuesday as President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi said that policy makers are ready to lower the benchmark interest rate further in case of the deterioration in the economy. The shared currency fell 0.3% to $1.3076 at 5 p.m. in New York, while it was at 129.88 yen.
The South Korean currency swung between gains and losses on Tuesday and was traded near its highest level in eight weeks against the U.S. Dollar on concerns that the country's lawmakers will try to slow its appreciation in order to protect exporters. The Won was traded at 1,094.45 per U.S. Dollar at 10:43 a.m. Seoul time after it touched 1,092.29
European stocks jumped on Tuesday as some companies including Commerzbank AG, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale reported quarterly results showing better-than-forecast earnings in the Q1. Benchmark Euro Stoxx 50 Index futures advanced by 0.3% to 2,724 as of 7:03 a.m. London time, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Index closed near a 5-year high yesterday.
Emerging-market shares increased on Tuesday to the highest level in seven weeks as the climb was led by materials and industrial companies, while Malaysian stocks advanced for the second straight day as new prime minister was elected. The MSCI Emerging Market Index gained 0.1% to 1,047.51 at 1:08 p.m. Hong Kong time set to close at the highest since March 14.
Asian shares gained for the second straight day on Tuesday as the Japanese benchmark index Topix erased losses since 2008's Lehman Brothers collapse and as the Reserve Bank of Australia lowered the benchmark cash-rate by 0.25% and the ECB will cut the interest rate in case there will be no signs of improvement in the economy. The MSCI Asia Pacific jumped
The Canadian Dollar increased against the majority of its most-traded peers on Tuesday after a report showed that building permits in the country advanced by more than preliminary estimated in March. The so-called Loonie was traded 0.1% higher at C$1.0068 per U.S. Dollar as of 5:00 p.m. Tokyo time and one Canadian Dollar buys 99.33 U.S. cents.
Copper traded in London jumped to the highest level in a three-week period on Tuesday amid speculation that demand in the world's largest buyer, China, will improve. Copper for delivery in August increased by 1.4% to $7,374 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange, the strongest level since April 15 and it was traded at $7,325 as of 10:44
West Texas Intermediate oil dropped for the first time in last four sessions before the U.S. government reported that stockpiles increased from the highest level in 82 years and as Saudi Arabia's output was boosted to the strongest level in 5 months. WTI for delivery next month decreased by 85 cents to $95.31 a barrel on the NYMEX and was
U.S. Treasuries were traded close to the lowest level in a month on Tuesday as investors are set to bid at three auctions of U.S. notes starting today. The benchmark U.S. 10-year yield was traded 0.01 percentage point lower at 1.75% at 1:25 p.m. Tokyo time, while the 10-year term premium was minus 0.75% indicating that investors are willing to
Property prices in Australia's eight capital cities increase in the first three months of 2013 mainly due to a notable advance in house prices in Sydney and Perth, a data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The weighted average of house prices in 8 capital cities rose from 0.1% recorded in the Q4 to 2.6% in the Q1, when
The Reserve Bank of Australia lowered its benchmark interest rates to the lowest level all-time on Tuesday as strong Australian Dollar weakens manufacturing output and increases unemployment in the country. The RBA's Governor Glenn Stevens with his board cut the overnight cash-rate by 25 basis points as expected to a record low at 2.75%.
Gold decreased on Tuesday amid speculations that purchases of physical gold eased as prices of the metal advanced to the strongest level since April 15, when the bullion entered its worst bear market in three decades. May gold futures fell as much as 0.7% to $1,459.60 an ounce and were traded at $1,465.25 as of 12:18 p.m. Singapore time.
The Japanese currency increased versus all of its 16 most-traded peers on Tuesday amid speculation that recent fall towards 100-per-U.S. Dollar level was too steep. The Yen was traded 0.2% higher at 99.10 per U.S. Dollar at 1:54 p.m. Tokyo time from yesterday's closing price after it slipped 2% in the last 3 sessions, while it advanced 0.2% to 129.65
The majority of Chinese shares declined on Tuesday as the technological sector and health-care companies led the fall before a data showed that exports in the country rose at the slowest pace in 5 months in April. The Shanghai Composite Index advanced 0.1% to 2,232.31 as of 1:05 p.m. local time and the CSI 300 Index gained 0.1% to 2,525.80.
Italy's service sector economy contracted at the slowest rate in a twenty-month period in April, as the level of new businesses also declined on the month, a report released by the Markit Economics revealed on Monday. According to the report the Markit/ADACI, business activity index advanced from 45.5 in March to 47 in April, the highest level since August 2011.
Private sector in France contracted further in April; however, the pace of contraction was slower than originally projected, data released by the Markit Economics told on Monday. The report showed that the composite output index rose from 41.9 in March to the highest level in four months at 44.3 in April, while it was forecast to climb to 44.2.
West Texas Intermediate oil swung between gains and losses on Monday and was traded close to its highest level in a month amid speculation that oil flows from the Middles East will not be affected by air strikes in Syria. June WTI futures slid by 1 cent to $95.60 a barrel as of 11:13 a.m. on the NYMEX after they
Service sector in Brazil accelerated at a faster rate in March than the month before as new orders were pushed by strong demand in the export market and the domestic market, the latest data released by the Markit Economics and HSBC Bank showed on Monday. The service sector purchasing managers' index gained from 50.3 in March to 51.3 in April.
Copper traded in New York fell for the first time in last three sessions on Monday amid speculation that demand in Europe will decrease as the global supplies rise and after reports showing that services and manufacturing output in the EU17 declined. Copper for delivery in two months dropped 0.6% to $3.296 a pound as of 10:35 a.m. on the
Retail sales in the 17-nation bloc decreased for the second successive month in March amid a 0.5% decline in retail of non-food products, the statistical office Eurostat reported on Monday. The report showed that on a monthly basis retail sales slipped 0.1% in March matching estimates after it slid by 0.2% in the month before, while on an annual basis
Spanish jobless rate decreased more in April with the total number of unemployed people falling below a level of 5 million suggesting that the recession-stricken economy may be showing signs of recovery the Labour Ministry reported on Monday. Unemployment in the country reached 4.99 million in April falling by 45,060 or 0.91%, while unemployment among people under 25 fell by
Private sector in the euro area continued to fall in April, but the pace of contraction was lower than preliminary estimated, the Markit Economics reported on Monday. The composite output index measuring performance of manufacturing and services increased from 46.5 recorded in March to a level of 46.9 in April, while the services business activity index climbed from 46.4 to