Asian Stocks Rise as Gold Holds Losses on Greece Deal; Oil Falls

Asian stocks climbed, with Japan™s Nikkei 225 Stock Average building on a 15-year high, and gold held losses as investors await progress on Greece™s bailout extension agreed Feb. 20. Oil fell in New York. The Nikkei 225 gained 0.8 percent by 9:20 a.m. in Tokyo, while Australia™s S&P/ASX 200 Index added 0.4 percent following a fifth straight weekly gain. Futures on the Standard & Poor™s 500 Index were little changed after the...

Japan Stocks Rise as Investors Watch Progress on Greek Debt Deal

Japanese stocks rose, led by precision instrument makers, as investors await progress on an agreement among euro-area finance ministers on Greece™s bailout program. The Topix advanced 0.6 percent to 1,508.76 as of 9:01 a.m. in Tokyo, on course to rise for a seventh day, its longest winning streak since early December. All but three of its 33 industry groups gained. The Nikkei 225 jumped 0.9 percent to 18,487.61, on course for its highest...

Euro Holds Gains After Greece Reaches Deal on Bailout Program

The euro held gains against the dollar after Greece reached a deal on extending its bailout program, tempering speculation the nation will exit the currency region. The 19-nation single currency erased a 0.8 percent decline on Feb. 20 after euro-area finance ministers reached an agreement that would keep bailout funds flowing to Greece for another four months. Options traders are willing to pay the most in a month to guard against losses...

Gold Drops Below $1,200 as Optimism on Greece Cuts Haven Demand

Gold futures fell below $1,200 an ounce as Greece and European finance ministers reached an accord on a bailout extension, eroding demand for the precious metal as a haven. The metal posted the fourth straight weekly decline, the longest slump since early October. On Wednesday, the price touched 1,197.20, the lowest since Jan. 5, partly on signs of declining demand in China. Earlier Friday, gold climbed as much as 0.6 percent after...

S&P 500, Dow Jump to Records After Deal on Greek Aid Extension

U.S. stocks rose, sending benchmark indexes to records, after European officials reached a deal to extend Greece™s aid for four months.The Standard & Poor™s 500 Index climbed 0.6 percent to a record 2,110.14 at 4 p.m. in New York. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 153.90 points, or 0.9 percent, to 18,139.67, also an all-time high. The Russell 2000 Index reached a record, and the Nasdaq Composite Index rallied 0.6 percent, up...