Wall Street has advanced for a tenth straight session, thanks to a third week of positive jobs figures.
Figures
The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 84 points to close at 14,539, the S&P500 put on 9 points to close at 1,563 and the Nasdaq rose14 points to close at 3,259
European markets also closed firmer: London’s FTSE rose 48 points, Paris gained 36 points and Frankfurt added 88 points.
Asian markets also finsihed in front: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 63 points, Tokyo’s Nikkei added 142 and China’s Shanghai Composite added 6 points.
The Australian share market ended in negative territory on Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 index retreated 60 points to close at 5,032. The SPI is 19 points firmer.
Currencies
The Australian Dollar at 7:20AM was buying $US1.037 cents, 68.82 Pence Sterling, 99.73 Yen and 79.82 Euro cents.
Company news
Australian banks cost struggle to meet rising demand for loans, if alternative funding is not soon found. That's the claim by Westpac
(ASX:WBC) chairman Lindsay Maxsted. In a speech in Sydney, he called on the Parliament and the Reserve Bank to engage the banking sector in debate alternative funding strategies. Named among the options, equal tax treatment for interest earned from bank deposits compared to shares.Shares in Westpac dropped 1.21% to close at $30.13.
The battle of the skies between Qantas Airways
(ASX:QAN) and Virgin Australia is heating up, with the flying kangaroo promising to double the number of aircraft Virgin puts in the sky. The very public challenge comes as Virgin Australia has urged the competition watchdog to stop Qantas forming an alliance with Emirates on the lucrative trans-Tasman route. Shares in Qantas shed 1.72% at close at $1.72.
To ex-dividends today
Commodities
Gold is up $2.30 to $US1,591 an ounce for the April contract on Comex.
Silver is down $0.15 to $28.81.
Copper is up $0.01 at $3.54 a pound.
Oil is up $0.51 at US$93.03 a barrel for April light crude in New York.
