Wall Street rebounded on Tuesday to close at new 15-month highs. Health care sector rallied as investors bet that the outcome of a Senate race in Massachusetts might make it harder for President Barack Obama's health-insurance reforms.
Wall Street rose overnight as investors were expecting improvements in fourth-quarter earnings results. US industrial shares lifted the Dow and the S&P 500 to new 15-month highs after the upbeat Chinese economic data. The US dollar dropped 0.5 percent against a basket of currencies.
Asian shares delivered a positive opening this morning. The Asian bourses were higher in thin trade on the last day of 2009 as commodity prices rose and China pledged to maintain policies that helped pull the world economy out of recession. For the year, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 52%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 31% in 2009 and Singapore was up 65 percent over the year. But Wall Street tumbled on the final trading day in 2009. Dow index remains down 26 per cent from its 2007 highs.
The Australian share market posted a strong gain boosted by banks and miners on Tuesday after good lead from European markets and Wall Street. At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 69.1 points, or 1.49 per cent, at 4704.2 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index surged 64.9 points, or 1.39 per cent, to 4724.4.
US shares fell on Thursday as the services sector index declined unexpectedly in November. The contraction also hurt sentiment ahead of the release of unemployment figure.
US stocks Wednesday climbed to near the peak of the year after Dubai's debt restructuring plan. The market was also supported by the optimism about the upcoming holiday shopping season while retailers Staples and Guess saw positive earnings in third quarter and provided guidance above market expectations.
Asian markets were mixed on Wednesday with a flat lead from Wall Street. Tokyo stocks rebounded on upbeat trade figures and bargain hunting after the market opened lower in the morning. Hong Kong and Seoul share declined as investors the U.S. economy did not grow as quickly as previously forecast in the latest quarter.
