Equities

• Stocks in Asia increased on positive US economic reports and on speculation Europe’s debt crisis will be contained
• MSCI Asia Pacific index advanced 1.5% to 131.72 as of 3:52 p.m. in Tokyo, with about four stocks rising for each that fell
• Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index rose 2%. Nikkei 225 gained 1.8%, as the Finance Ministry said today in Tokyo today that Japanese companies increased spending for the first time in more than three years
• US stocks jumped amid positive global economic data and on investor speculation of a larger European financial rescue
  • The S&P 500 rallied 2.2% to 1,206.07while the DJIA rose 249.76 points, or 2.3%, to 11,255.78
• European stocks jumped by the most in three months, on speculation European Central Bank policy makers will increase measures to contain the region’s sovereign debt crisis
  • The Stoxx 600 soared 2% to 267.11 at the 4:30 p.m. close in London

Bonds

• Treasuries increased as military tensions on the Korean peninsula pushed demand for the relative safety of US debt higher
  • Benchmark 10-year yields dropped two basis points to 2.95% as of early morning in London
• Spanish bonds rallied Wednesday, reducing the yield on the 10-year security by 23 basis points to 5.34%

Commodities

• Thursday, oil traded near the highest in three weeks after greater-than-expected growth in US private employment boosted optimism fuel demand will increase
• The January contract was at $86.73 a barrel, down 2% in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange at 2:36 p.m. Singapore time. Wednesday, it rose $2.64 to close at $86.75
• Gold gained amid persistent military tensions on the Korean peninsula and on concern that Europe’s debt crisis may spread
  • Immediate-delivery gold gained 0.3% to $1,392.20 an ounce at 3:12 p.m. in Tokyo after touching $1,397.50 Wednesday