International markets roundup
Market watch top headlines
Australian reports
- Aust markets: Aust shares close lower
- Aust dollar report: $A lower on consumer sentiment figures
- Aust credit close: Aust bonds prices weaker
World reports
- World commodities: Commodities markets summary
- World markets: International markets roundup
AAP
2012-07-04
A roundup of trading on major world markets:
NEW YORK - US stocks have racked up solid gains in a holiday-shortened trading session, boosted by reports of strong June sales from the leading US auto makers.
Trade closed at 1700 GMT (0300 AEST), after only three and a half hours, to allow for travel ahead of the July 4th Independence Day holiday.
At the finish the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 72.05 points (0.56 per cent) to 12,943.44.
The S&P 500-stock index added 8.51 (0.62 per cent) to 1,374.02, while the tech-rich Nasdaq put on 24.85 points (0.84 per cent) to 2,976.08.
LONDON - European stocks and the euro rose on prospects that central banks would act to boost economies, while Barclays shares jumped after its chief executive resigned amid a rate rigging scandal.
European markets were also helped higher by a cautiously optimistic report on Germany's economy from the International Monetary Fund, and news that Ireland would return to the bond markets on Thursday for the first time since its bailout.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 index added 0.83 per cent to 5,687.73 points and Paris' CAC 40 gained 0.96 per cent to 3,271.20 points.
Data showing that car sales in Germany are resisting the eurozone crisis drove Frankfurt's DAX 30 index up 1.26 per cent to 6,578.21 points.
Madrid rose 1.34 per cent.
The euro rose to $1.2620 from $1.2582 late on Monday in New York.
HONG KONG - Asian markets mostly rose and the euro firmed on hopes that central banks in the United States and Europe would take action to boost their sluggish economies after a stream of negative data.
Regional bourses shrugged off a lacklustre performance on Wall Street, with investors banking on the Federal Reserve taking stimulus measures after the release of weak US manufacturing data and the ECB cutting rates on Thursday.
Tokyo closed up 0.70 per cent, or 63.11 points, at 9,066.59 on Tuesday, and Seoul ended 0.87 per cent, or 16.17 points, higher at 1,867.82.
Hong Kong closed up 1.51 per cent, or 294.07 points, at 19,735.53, buoyed by the central bank speculation but also tracking gains on US and European markets late last week after being closed for a public holiday on Monday.
Shanghai edged up 0.14 per cent, or 3.08 points, to end at 2,229.19.
WELLINGTON - The NZX 50 Index rose 4.47 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 3444.63.
