Currencies

• EUR/USD The euro strengthened against the dollar as Italy prepared to sell bonds and after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said policy makers have averted a credit shortage.
  • The 17-nation currency rose 0.4 percent to $1.2864 as of 3:09 p.m. in Tokyo.

• USD/CAD The loonie, weakened after sales at U.S. retailers in December rose 0.1 percent.
  • The currency was little changed at C$1.0191 per U.S. dollar at 5 p.m. Toronto time, after gaining has much as 0.6 percent.

Commodities

• Oil advanced in New York, after strong weekly decline in a month, as signs Europe's debt crisis is easing countered indications a proposed embargo on Iranian crude will be delayed
  • The February contract yesterday fell $1.77, or 1.8 percent, to $99.10, the lowest close since Dec 30.

• Gold prices eased on Friday as fears about the health of the global economy abated after successful debt sales by Spain and Italy encouraged investors to put their money in riskier assets.
  • Spot gold lost 0.7 percent to $1,637.79 an ounce by 0332 GMT, on course for a weekly gain of 1.3 percent.

Equities

• Asian stocks rose, with a regional benchmark index poised for its longest streak of weekly advances in a year, as lower Italian and Spanish borrowing costs added to optimism Europe's debt crisis may be contained.
  • Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average advanced 1.4 percent.
  • Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.3 percent.

• U.S. stocks rose, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 Index higher for a fourth day, as a drop in borrowing costs at auctions in Europe overshadowed disappointing American jobless claims and retail sales data.
  • The S&P 500 rose 0.2 percent.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 21.57 points.

• European stocks declined after reports that showed U.S. retail sales and initial jobless claims missed economists' forecasts outweighed lower borrowing costs at Spanish and Italian debt auctions.
  • U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index fell 0.2 percent.
  • Germany's DAX Index climbed 0.4 percent.

Sources: Bloomberg, FT