Australian stocks declined yesterday on profit taking selling after US aluminium giant Alcoa reported its fourth quarter earnings result, which missed the market expectations. The resources sector drove the local shares lower. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 51.2 points, or 1.03 per cent, at 4,899.5 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index lost 49.6 points, or one per cent, to 4,931.6 points.
US stocks was slightly higher on Friday, hitting at least 15-month closing highs despite a bigger-than-expected job loss data. US dollar was lowered on the disappointing payroll data. This week the US firms, which are widely expected to show significant improvement compared to the corresponding period last year, will kick off the quarterly earnings reporting season.
Overnight US shares ended with modest gains helped by better-than-expected retail sales data and upbeat broker comments. But investors were still cautious ahead of the release of the non-farm payrolls data. Most Asian stocks declined Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite lost 1.9 per cent over fears of possible rates rise while Chinese central bank is tightening liquidity in the interbank money markets.
US markets closed flat overnight after a report of private-sector job losses and Federal Reserve minutes showing concern about weakness in the labour market. Asian stocks ended mostly higher Wednesday as investors were still in an upbeat mood, but China's Shanghai Composite index was 0.9 per cent lower due to worries over inflation and a possible fund raising by Bank of China.
Australian market continued its gains on Tuesday as energy stocks had another strong day. The global markets rallied in the first trading day of this year while the upbeat manufacturing data from the United States, China and India boosted investor confidence over a global recovery in 2010. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index surged 48 points, or 1 per cent, at 4924.3, while the broader All Ordinaries index increased 49.7 points, or 1 per cent, to 4939.5.
US stocks ended higher overnight on a bigger-than-expected rise in existing home sales for November. The used-home sales jumped 7.4 per cent, having increased more than double the economists' expectations.
The Australian sharemarket ended slightly lower on Monday after a positive start driven by a resources sector buoyed by higher commodity prices. The pullback was led by major banks, and consumer staples. At close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 6.4 points, or 0.14 per cent, to 4644.1, while the broader All Ordinaries gave up 6.1 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 4665.8.
