The Australian market rebounded to above 5000 points today after Wall Street gained on hope of upbeat US corporate earnings. On Wednesday, investors would look to consumer sentiment data from Wespac and Melbourne Institute. The local market fell back to below the 5000 points level on a weaker performance in Asian markets. Today Asian shares were mostly higher following the positive lead from Wall Street.
Wall Street Thursday closed with little change after the market trimmed its early gains. US stocks rose for most of the session, but in the afternoon the market declined as falls in crude oil future hit the energy shares. Higher metal price could help the Asian markets Friday to offset some negative sentiment that cut gains on Wall Street. Asian bourses ended mixed Thursday while fiscal concerns in euro zone persist. Hong Kong and Shanghai markets lost more than 1 per cent each. However, Japan's Nikkei 225 Average added 0.1 per cent, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.4% and Taiwan's Taiex finished 0.2% higher.
Asian shares are set for a weak start on Monday after US markets fell on lower commodities prices and Greek debt concerns. Japanese market today is closed for Vernal Equinox Day. Most Asian markets gained on Friday. Japan's Nikkei index rose 0.8 per cent while weakness in yen boosted exporters. China's Shanghai Composite was also higher, with Alunimium Corp of China surged 10 per cent on Friday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.2 per cent and South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.7 per cent.
Asian stocks are expected to extend gains on Thursday as US and Britain markets climbed to multi-month highs overnight. Wall Street was pushed to a fresh 17-month high as investors cheered for the drop in February Producer Price Index, or wholesale inflation. Yesterday most major Asian markets were stronger after the U.S. Federal Reserve pledge to keep interest rates low for an extended period. The Bank of Japan also left its rate unchanged at 0.1 per cent. The Nikkei Index gained 1.2 per cent and South Korea's Kospi was up 2.1 per cent. Shanghai Composite lifted 1.9 per cent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 1.7 per cent.
Dow Jones Industrial Average was marginally higher overnight, supported by financial stocks. But material stocks were under pressure as commodities prices declined. Asian markets Wednesday closed mixed. Singapore market finished 0.8 per cent higher to their a seven-week high after a report showed that Singapore's economy was expected to grow 6.5 per cent in 2010. Japan's Nikkei 225 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index finished flat after moving between gains and losses during the session. South Korea's Kospi ended 0.1% higher. But China's Shanghai Composite snapped a three-day rise and fell 0.7 per cent ahead of the inflation data.
Friday Asian stocks received a positive lead from Wall Street. US stocks overnight posted a slim gain, supported by better-than-expected retail sales data and analyst upgrades of a batch of blue-chip companies. Yesterday most Asian markets closed lower on renewed worries about China's policy tightening. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slid 1.4 per cent, while Shanghai Composite lost 2.4 per cent, with China's banking and property shares dropping sharply. Singapore market was also impacted by China's property bubble concerns, and Straits Times slid 0.5 per cent. Japan's Nikkei 225 was off 1.1 per cent as strong yen hurt exporters.
Asian markets are expected to rise today as Wall Street rallied overnight on improved data of manufacturing employment in the US and a takeover of American International Group's Asian arm by British insurer Prudential. Resources shares in Asia were up on Monday as the massive earthquake in Chile raised concerns on copper supplies. Asian markets closed mostly higher yesterday. Japan's Nikkei rose 0.5 per cent, lifted by a rise in non-ferrous metal shares. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 2.2 per cent and China's Shanghai Composite added 1.2 per cent on expectations Beijing may retain an appropriately loose monetary policy at the upcoming meeting of the National People's Congress.
