- Retail Earnings in Focus Ahead of Shopping Season
- Apple Surpasses Nokia as Top Handset Maker by Profit
- In This Relay-Race Market, Who Gets Baton Next?
- Workers Staying Put at Their Jobs as Jobless Surges
- Three Things the US Can Do To Stop the Dollar's Decline
- Toll Brothers: More Contracts Signed, but Sales Down
- Ponzi Proceeds: Bidding on Madoff's Toys
- Bear Stearn Fund Managers Not Guilty on All Counts
- Commodity ETFs: Returns May Not Match Expectations
- Beware of 'Trampling Effect' When Market Tops: Manager
- Gold Heading to $1150: Art Hogan
- Starbucks Brews Up Growth
- Farr: An Extended Period—No Fat Lady in Sight
- More Upside if S&P Passes This Number: Market Pro
- Murdoch Lashes Out At Google
- Fighting The Flu Vaccine Critics
- Nov. 10: Unusual Volume Leaders
- Shadow Inventory Dwarfs Loan Mods
MOST SHARED
- Apple Surpasses Nokia as Top Cellphone Maker by Profits
- Herbalife Vs. Hedge Funds
- China Factory Output Leaps to 19-Month Highs
- Gold Heading to $1150: Art Hogan
- Toll Brothers: More Contracts Signed, but Sales Down
- Cramer Jeers J&J, Applauds Abbott
- America Is On Sale
- Three Things the US Can Do To Stop the Dollar's Decline
- Adobe Cuts 680 Jobs, to Take Charge
Text Size 
Asian stocks were mostly stronger this Good Friday, following gains on Wall Street. Japan and South Korea both finished over 1 percent higher. Markets in Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Singapore are closed for the Good Friday holiday.
Gold and oil fell sharply as investors dumped commodities and lifted U.S. stocks to big gains on the view that inflation could moderate if the selling pressure in futures markets continues. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied more than 2 percent as crude's fall helped relieve worries about the effect of higher prices on consumers and businesses.
 |
South Korea's KOSPI closed up 1.3 percent, led by financials, as receding worries over a credit crunch and a slide in commodities prices stoked investors' appetite for stocks, with foreigners fueling upward momentum. Financials including banks and brokerage shares rose across the board, with Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Financial both advancing.
Taiwan stocks rose 2.2 percent to a two-week closing high, led by Cathay Financial and other financial firms with better earnings prospects, one day before the island's presidential election.
Chinese stocks were mixed with the Shanghai Composite Index bouncing in and out of negative territory, hit by a selloff in heavily weighted PetroChina amid disappointment at the absence of fresh government efforts to support the market. PetroChina tumbled 4 percent. The pull-back of global oil prices may have been partly responsible, traders said, but many said bigger factors were the stock's valuations and the possibility of a slowdown in China's economy.
Print
Email
- Vote and suggest your own, and remember--there's a fine line between a hero and a zero.
- If you are lucky enough to have money and the time, this is a great time to see America, says CNBC's Jane Wells.
- What’s powering your microwave, fridge and computer? Part of it is fuel from Russian nuclear weapons. The NYT reports.
- One author sees lessons for you in Disney’s recent Makeover of Mickey Mouse: “Nice” doesn’t always win.
- With 123 years of history, slogans and commercials, Coca-Cola is the most recognized brand on earth.
- The opening of a virtual pet store in “World of Warcraft” could prove a cash bonanza for Activision-Blizzard.
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes