Asian stocks extend rally as company results whet investor appetite for risk; Tokyo up 1.4 pct

July 31st, 2009 Oil hovers near $67 as US, Asian stocks jumpSINGAPORE — Oil prices hovered near $67 a barrel Friday in Asia after investor optimism about the economy fueled rallies in crude and stocks. Benchmark crude for September delivery was down 20 cents to $66.74 a barrel by late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

July 27th, 2009 Oil rises above $68 as rally extends to third weekSINGAPORE — Oil prices rose above $68 a barrel Monday in Asia as a rally fueled by an improving economic and corporate outlook extended into a third week. Benchmark crude for September delivery was up 59 cents to $68.64 a barrel by midday Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

July 27th, 2009 World stocks extend rally amid earnings optimismHONG KONG — Asian markets extended their winning streak Monday as hopes company earnings will rebound along with global growth continue to drive investors into stocks. European shares followed Asia higher.

July 14th, 2009 MUMBAI - Buoyed by a strong rally in Asian bourses and renewed buying interest, particularly in realty, metal and consumer durable stocks, a key index of the Indian equities markets closed near its intra-day high Tuesday ending 453 points higher than its previous close. The 30-scrip benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the Sensex, which opened at 13,549.42 points, rose 453.38 points or 3.38 percent at 13,853.7 points.

July 13th, 2009 Stocks futures lower ahead of busy earnings weekNEW YORK — Stock futures are lower as investors brace for a crush of earnings reports this week, including key readings from the banking sector. Overseas, Asian markets tumbled Monfay, but European stocks have posted only modest losses.

July 13th, 2009 Asian stocks extend losses amid economic jittersHONG KONG — Asian markets extended their slide Monday as confidence about a stronger economic turnaround continued to wane ahead of earnings results from major U.S. companies. Every major market dropped, with Japan's index racking up its ninth straight loss amid reports the country's embattled prime minister was dissolving parliament and calling general elections for next month.

June 30th, 2009 Asian markets mixed, Europe down ahead of key dataBANGKOK — Asian markets were mixed Tuesday and European shares opened lower as investors braced for economic reports that will train a spotlight on the vitality of a possible global economic recovery. Oil powered above $73 a barrel to eight-month highs, boosting resource stocks, and the dollar fell against the yen.

June 15th, 2009 Asian stocks fall as recovery prospects mulledTOKYO — Asian stocks edged lower Monday as investors assessed whether recent signs of improvement in the recession-hit global economy justify the enormous rally in markets since March. Over the weekend, finance ministers from the Group of Eight industrialized nations, meeting in Italy, acknowledged "signs of stabilization in our economies." But they also said it was too early to withdraw massive fiscal and monetary stimulus because the fallout from the financial and economic crisis wasn't over.

June 1st, 2009 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks rose Monday following Wall Street's week-ending rally. Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 75.08 points, or 0.89 percent, 9,597.58, and the broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 8.5 points, or 0.95 percent, to 906.41.

March 11th, 2009 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks gained Wednesday morning in the wake of the strong overnight gains on Wall Street. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average soared 283.18 points, or 4.01 percent, to 7,338.16.

February 11th, 2009 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks closed sharply lower Thursday with the key Nikkei index falling 3.03 percent. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Average plunged 240.58 points to 7,705.36.

January 21st, 2009 TOKYO - Stocks ended Thursday morning trading in Tokyo lower as investors sold export-oriented issues on the yen's advance against other major currencies. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 12.03 points, or 0.15 percent, to 7,889.61.

January 19th, 2009 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks opened lower Tuesday as investor sentiment remain jittery about global economic outlook. In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 92.59 points, or 1.12 percent, from Monday to 8,164.

January 15th, 2009 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks opened higher Friday on the back of an overnight rebound in the US market and a weaker yen. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average, which lost nearly five percent the previous day, advanced 101.62 points, or 1.27 percent, to 8,124.93 in early trading.

December 29th, 2008 TOKYO - Tokyo stocks closed higher Tuesday in the year's final half-day trading session. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average advanced 112.39 points, or 1.