Aust dollar surges past US72c

Strong commodity prices have helped the Australian dollar extend the rally it started on Tuesday with better-than-expected economic commentary from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). At 6am (AEDT) on Thursday, the currency was trading at US72.10c, up from US71.85c on Wednesday. Over the past 24 hours the unit has traded between a low of US71.50c and a high of US72.36c, its best...

Oil Falls From 1-Month High as U.S. Crude Supplies, Output Climb

Oil dropped from a one-month high after government report showed that U.S. crude inventories and production climbed. Nationwide, stockpiles rose for a second week, according to the Energy Information Administration. Supplies at Cushing, Oklahoma, the delivery point for WTI contracts, increased for the first time in six weeks and production rebounded from a 10-month low. Refinery operations slowed to the lowest level in seven months. Oil ...

Asian Stock Futures Mixed Amid Rally as Chinese Markets Return

Asian index futures signaled a mixed day for the region’s stocks, with mainland Chinese markets returning to the fray after missing the global equity rally due to a week-long holiday. While futures on South Korea stocks climbed with Australian and New Zealand shares, a two-day gain in the yen dimmed prospects for Japanese equities and Hong Kong futures also retreated. Chinese markets, which were at the epicenter of August’s global turmoil,...

U.S. Stocks Rise as Biotechs Rebound, Commodity Shares Advance

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index reached its highest level since the August selloff, rising as biotechnology companies rebounded and energy shares extended their longest rally since December 2013. The benchmark index again tested points where an advance petered out at the end of August and a September rally wilted. The gauge had erased gains earlier Wednesday after briefly climbing above its average price during the past 50 days....

U.S. Stocks Fluctuate as S&P 500 Index Stalls Near Recent Highs

U.S. stocks fluctuated, as energy companies pared a rally and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index stalled near its highest levels since the August selloff. The S&P 500 rose 0.1 percent to 1,980.96 at 12:34 a.m. in New York, after gaining as much as 1 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 4.5 points to 16,785.65. The Dow earlier was up as much as 173 points. The Nasdaq Composite Index declined 0.1 percent. Stocks have...