Financial Market News

Nov. 19 -- James Swanson, chief investment strategist at MFS Investment Management, talks with Bloomberg's Matt Miller and Carol Massar about the outlook for U.S. stocks.

London's blue chip share index recovered some of its poise today as miners returned to favour following yesterday's sell-off. The FTSE 100 Index lost 1% yesterday as mining stocks fell and economic jitters hit market sentiment.

Stocks are set to continue their slide when the market opens Friday as the dollar strengthens further, and after a week of mixed economic reports.

A gauge of future economic activity and a report on unemployment benefits signaled Thursday that the recovery likely will remain weak in the coming months.

Canada is paying a heavy price for China's intransigence in moving to a flexible currency that better reflects its growing importance on the global economic stage, Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says.

Manufacturing activity in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region hit a two-year high in November, indicating the economic recovery was gaining momentum, while the trend in claims for jobless aid continued downward.

Foreign investors also continued to rebalance their holdings of Canadian debt in favour of longer-term securities, mainly in the federal government sector.

The Conference Board said Thursday that its index of leading economic indicators rose 0.3 percent last month.

NEW YORK - Stock futures are pointing toward a lower opening Thursday following the lead of overseas markets and ahead of a weekly report on unemployment.

Nov. 18 -- Bloomberg's Michele Steele reports on the performance of the U.S. equity market today.

Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:50am EST -President Obama tours the Great Wall of China in Badaling, November 18, 2009 .

Oil prices extended gains to near $80 a barrel Wednesday, supported by a weaker dollar and as a report showed an unexpected drop in U.S. crude supplies, suggesting demand could be improving.

The budding economic recovery is getting little help from the home building industry, which normally creates jobs and boosts growth as a recession ends.

The U.S. dollar headed lower versus major counterparts Wednesday, as commodities hang on to gains, indicating more investor willingness to step away from the dollar.

US stocks rose to fresh 13-month highs overnight as upbeat broker views on improving prospects for two Dow components offset disappointing holiday spending outlooks from Target and Home Depot.

By SARA LEPRO A stronger dollar is keeping a lid on metals prices.Gold, silver and copper were little changed Tuesday, a day after hitting new highs, while energy and agriculture futures rose slightly.Commodities paused from their recent surge as the dollar gained ground and made them more expensive to foreign buyers.

U.S. industrial output barely rose last month and wholesale inflation was tame, suggesting the economy's recovery from a severe recession was losing some steam as government stimulus faded.

Eaton Vance Management and Invesco PowerShares on Tuesday announced new investment products offering exposure to the government's Build America Bonds stimulus program, which seeks to spur construction and repair projects by state and local governments.

But the metal remains well supported above $1,130 an ounce, analysts said, with expectations for further dollar weakness and firm investment interest in bullion as a hedge against inflation expected to underpin this year's 29 per cent gains.

HONG Kong stocks rose for a second day yesterday due to Friday's gains on Wall Street, and went up 1.73 percent to end at a more than 15-month high of 22,943.98. The benchmark Hang Seng Index opened 1.05 percent higher at 22,789.99 yesterday and moved between 22,998.85 and 22,770.69 during the session.