Most asian markets were higher on hope of a rescue package for Greece yesterday. Japan's Nikkei index ended up 0.3%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.7%. Both China's Shanghai Composite and Taiwan's Taiex climbed 1.1%. Japanese market is closed on Thursday for National Foundation Day, while Taiwan market is closed for Pre-Chinese New Year.
Asian shares are expected to remain rising after a rebound in most markets yesterday. On Tuesday China's Shanghai Composite rose 0.5%, Taiwan's Taiex surged 2% and South Korea's Kospi added 1.1%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 1.2% spurred by Swiss banking major UBS's return to profit.
ABN Newswire stocks to watch today include: Brickworks Limited (ASX:BKW), Linc Energy Limited (ASX:LNC) (PINK:LNCGY) and The NewSat Limited (ASX:NWT) (OTC:NWTLY).
Brickworks Limited (ASX:BKW) today entered into an agreement to purchase Brick and Block, a New South Wales-based producer of concrete masonry, for A$13.5 million.
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 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.
Wall Street declined modestly overnight as bearish analyst comments hurt bank shares. Analysts with UBS predicted the capital market's seasonal slowing could come earlier this year, cutting its fourth-quarter earnings target for Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and others.
