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Jobs report seems to save the day (ISFM) (03-02-2012)

Asian stocks decline though China gains a little (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012)

Currency Exchange Rate

Forex

Asian Markets
10:30am GMT (02-02-2012)
Index	Value	% Change
NIKKEI 225	8,876.82	+0.76
HANG SENG	20,739.45	+2.00
SHANGHAI SE COMPOSITE	2,312.56	+1.96
TAIWAN TAIEX	7,652.46	+1.37
KOSPI 100	1,932.33	+0.63
S&P/ASX 200	4,267.80	+1 00
NZX 50 FF	3.314.64	+0.39
STRAITS TIMES	2.901.04	- 0.13

10 Top Performing Japan Banks
(02-02-2012)
Bank	Close	Pct Change
DAITO LTD	68	+4.41%
SUMITOMO MITSU	246	+3.25%
RESONA HOLDING	339	+3.24%
SHIMIZU	3.165	+2.69%
MIZUHO FINANCIAL	116	+2.59%
MITSUB UFJ FG	359	+2.51%
SHINSEI	.84	+2.38%
TOMATO	135	+2.22%
SMFG	2.453	+2.12%
NISHI-NP CITY	225	+1.78%

World stock markets began the day cautiously ahead of the monthly U.S. jobs report but turned more optimistic after it was reported better than had been expected, with the number of jobs increasing, while the unemployment rate fell.  In Asia, markets were trading in a close range with Japan South Korea and Australia in negative territory while Hong Kong was marginally higher.  The markets that gained more than others, were those in mainland China, where shares he gained on news of fresh support for the farming and small-business sectors. Benchmark oil was nearly unchanged...

SYDNEY — Asian markets fell on Friday with investors awaiting the key U.S. jobs report due out later in the day, although Chinese stocks managed to turn higher.  South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.8%, Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average declined 0.5%, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index shed 0.4%.  Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.2%, and the Shanghai Composite gained 0.7%. Japanese exporters lost ground, including Yamaha Corp slumping 7% and Honda Motor Co. losing 1.2%. Telecom shares also declined, with Softbank Corp. losing 3.5% after its quarterly profit came in at half of year-earlier levels...

Dollar advances following jobs data (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012)

Gold amid its 5^th winning week (Reuters) (03-02-2012)

NEW YORK — The dollar rose against the euro and gained versus other major currencies on Friday after the U.S. government said the economy added far more jobs last month than economists anticipated.  The ICE dollar index which measures the performance of the greenback against a basket of six currencies, rose to 79.271, from 79.010 in late North American trade Thursday. The dollar initially weakened after the Labor Department said the economy added 243,000 jobs in January, and...

SINGAPORE - Gold prices appeared steady on Friday, on course for a fifth straight week of gains, as investors awaited a key U.S. labour market report after upbeat jobless claims data in the previous session helped send bullion to a two-month high.         Bullion prices have risen more than 12 percent so far this year, and the climb gathered pace last week after the U.S. Spot gold lost 0.1 percent to $1,757.49 an ounce by 0646 GMT, on course for a 1.1-percent gain from a week earlier. It hit a two-month high...

Legg Mason Launches fixed income hedge fund (HedgeCo.net) (03-02-2012)

New York – Global asset management firm Legg Mason has launched Permal Hedge Strategies Fund, a fixed income focused multi-manager, multi strategy fund of hedge funds, on February 1, 2012. The new fund invests in a broad range of fixed income strategies, employing flexible asset allocation and moving capital between credit and non credit strategies. Investments...

MADRID -- European stock markets had losses on Friday, as investors await key U.S. nonfarm payroll data due later.  Banks and mining stocks pulled back after recent gains. Merger news was lifting shares of software group Misys PLC which rose 3% after saying it's in talks with Temenos Group AG. Temenos shares gained 12%.  The Stoxx Europe 600 index appeared flat at 260.01. The French...

Currency Summary

Brent steadies over $112 on Iran awaiting U.S. jobs data (Reuters) (03-02-2012) 

Wall Street ahead of U.S. payrolls data (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012) 

Growth slows in Europe slower retail sales show (Reuters) (03-02-2012) 

Monthly jobs report shows increase in jobs, drop in jobless rate (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012) 

U.S. factory orders higher 1.1% in December (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012) 

Treasurys lose after payrolls (MarketWatch) (03-02-2012)