"Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks and U.S. equity-index futures climbed after Apple Inc.’s quarterly profit more than doubled and before the Federal Open Market Committee releases forecasts for its key interest rate. The yen weakened after Japan posted its first annual trade deficit in 31 years.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 0.9 percent at 12:50 p.m. in Tokyo, the highest level since Oct. 31. Nasdaq-100 Index futures jumped 1 percent after Apple shares soared as much as 12 percent in extended trading. The dollar was 0.3 percent from a three-week low versus the euro and gained 0.4 percent against the yen. Australia’s 10-year yields added eight basis points after an inflation measure watched by the Reserve Bank exceeded economist estimates. Copper climbed to a four-month high.
Apple is among the 53 of 82 Standard & Poor’s 500 Index companies that have beaten analyst estimates for quarterly earnings so far. President Barack Obama delivered his third State of the Union address, while the Federal Reserve is set to release rate forecasts for the first time today. Business and political leaders are gathering in Davos, Switzerland, for the start of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.
"The yen is weakening, boosting earnings for exporters," said Naoki Fujiwara, who helps oversee $6 billion at Shinkin Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. "Investors are more likely to look at the bright side of the global economy."
Stocks Climb
About three shares gained for every one that declined on MSCI’s Asia Pacific Index. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 1.3 percent, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rallied 1 percent and South Korea’s Kospi advanced 0.7 percent. Financial markets in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China remain closed for public holidays. Hynix Semiconductor Inc. added 2 percent in Seoul, pacing advances among Apple suppliers.
S&P 500 futures expiring in March rose 0.4 percent, signaling the stocks gauge may rebound from yesterday’s 0.1 percent loss. Apple, the maker of iPhones and iPads, said first- quarter profit surged to $13.1 billion, or $13.87 a share. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg on average estimated profit of $10.14 a share.
Boeing Co., Xerox Corp. and ConocoPhillips are among companies scheduled to release results in the U.S. today. Obama called on Congress to require the highest U.S. earners to pay at least 30 percent of their income in taxes, building on his election-year push for what he terms economic fairness. He also vowed to get tough on unfair trade practices by nations such as China, and said the U.S. should give aid to help domestic companies compete.
The dollar traded at $1.3023 per euro, after reaching $1.3063 yesterday, the least since Jan. 4. The U.S. currency rose 0.4 percent to 77.95 yen.
Fed Rates
The Fed said last week it will offer two charts along with the forecasts for the benchmark rate, which will remain unchanged today, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. The central bank has left its target for overnight loans between banks in a range of zero to 0.25 percent since 2008 and last month reiterated that economic conditions may warrant "exceptionally low" rates at least through mid-2013.
"The FOMC meeting could be negative for the U.S. dollar against other currencies, but positive against the yen," said Imre Speizer, a strategist in Auckland at Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s second-largest lender. "If they explicitly say they’re going to leave the Fed funds rate at a record low for a very long time, even though the market already knows that and expects it, it may be positive for risk markets."
The Thai baht was little changed at 31.51 per dollar. The nation’s central bank is forecast to cut its benchmark interest rate to 3 percent from 3.25 percent, according to all 15 economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The Singapore dollar rose 0.4 percent to S$1.2667 against its U.S. counterpart before the release of inflation data today.
Australia’s Inflation
Australia’s dollar rose 0.3 percent to $1.0519, erasing losses of as much as 0.5 percent, and the nation’s 10-year yields climbed to 3.97 percent.
Consumer prices were unchanged in the fourth quarter compared with the previous three-month period, the Bureau of Statistics said in Sydney today. That was weaker than the 0.2 percent gain that was the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of economists. The so-called trimmed mean, one of the central bank’s measures of underlying inflation, advanced 0.6 percent, compared with a forecast 0.5 percent rise.
Trade Deficit
The yen weakened against all 16 major counterparts. Exports dropped 8 percent in December from a year earlier, the Ministry of Finance said today, resulting in a 2011 trade deficit of 2.49 trillion yen ($32 billion), the country’s first annual shortfall since 1980.
The Markit iTraxx Japan index added 2 basis points to 171, Citigroup Inc. prices show. The gauge is set for its first increase since Jan. 18, according to CMA, which is owned by CME Group Inc. and compiles prices quoted by dealers in the privately negotiated market.
Three-month copper jumped as much as 1.2 percent to $8,455.25 a metric ton in London, the highest intraday level since Sept. 19. Inventories in warehouses monitored by the London Metal Exchange fell to the lowest level in more than two years, bourse data showed. Zinc gained 1.4 percent to $2,155 a ton, while nickel increased 0.4 percent to $20,702 a ton."
Source : Bloomberg
Steven Morris CA (SA)
Mobie : 083 943 1858
Fax: 086 671 2498
E-Mail: steven@global.co.za
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