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发表于 2011-5-19 08:11 AM
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MARKET OVERVIEW---------------------------------------------------
Markets in Asia ended mostly lower today, pressured by weak
economic data out of Japan. The quake-hit country's gross domestic
product (GDP) fell 0.9% during the first quarter, marking the
second consecutive quarter of economic contraction. Japanese
utility stocks also resumed their slide, as Prime Minister Naoto
Kan raised the prospect of splitting up power generation and
distribution businesses. However, stocks in Hong Kong bucked the
regional downtrend, buoyed by strength in property developers. By
the close, Japan's Nikkei was off 0.4%, China's Shanghai Composite
shed 0.5%, South Korea's Kospi swallowed a 1.9% drop, and Hong
Kong's Hang Seng added 0.7%. European shares are heading higher at
midday, with a successful initial public offering from commodity
issue Glencore helping to boost investor sentiment. Traders are
also responding to the resignation of Dominique Strauss-Kahn from
his role as managing director of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF). "I want to protect this institution which I have served with
honor and devotion, and especially -- especially -- I want to
devote all my strength, all my time, and all my energy to proving
my innocence," said Strauss-Kahn in a statement. At midday, the
French CAC 40 and German DAX have both added 1.3%, while London's
FTSE 100 is 1% higher.
The greenback is trading lower this morning, with the U.S. dollar
index down almost 0.3% at last check. Elsewhere, black gold is
higher in pre-market action, despite the International Energy
Agency (IEA) expressing "serious concern" about the economic impact
of rising oil prices, and calling on oil producers to increase
supplies. At last check, June-dated crude futures are up $0.37, or
about 0.4%, to trade near $100.93 per barrel. Meanwhile, gold
futures have given back a portion of Wednesday's gains, with the
front-month contract down $1.40, or roughly 0.1%, at $1,494.40 an
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