Home Breadcrumb caret Investments Breadcrumb caret Market Insights A.M. market numbers: November 18, 2009 Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday amid investor caution following the recent advance in the region’s markets. European shares rose modestly in early trade. Gold, meanwhile, set another record high and crude oil prices strengthened as the dollar resumed its slide, falling against the yen and the euro. The directionless trade in Asia followed an erratic […] By Staff | November 18, 2009 | Last updated on November 18, 2009 2 min read | North American markets | International markets | Bonds | Currency | Commodities | Asian stocks were mixed Wednesday amid investor caution following the recent advance in the region’s markets. European shares rose modestly in early trade. Gold, meanwhile, set another record high and crude oil prices strengthened as the dollar resumed its slide, falling against the yen and the euro. The directionless trade in Asia followed an erratic session on Wall Street and a string of recent gains as the weakening dollar increased investor appetite for stocks and commodities like gold and oil, which are priced in greenbacks and can provide a hedge against a frail U.S. currency. But after several indexes touched new highs for the year, investors have become worried about the market overheating and started to book profits. There’s a lack of conviction among many investors about the market’s direction, analysts said. Early going in Europe, Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.2 per cent, Germany’s DAX was up 0.4 per cent and France’s CAC 40 climbed 0.5 per cent. Japan and Hong Kong led the Asia’s declines, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 stock average losing 53.13 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 9,676.80 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng shedding 73.82, or 0.3 per cent, to 22,840.33. Markets in India, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand also fell. Among higher markets, South Korea’s key index rose 1.1 per cent to 1,603.97 and Shanghai’s benchmark was up 0.6 per cent to 3,303.23. Shares in Taiwan and Australia were modestly higher as well. Overnight in the U.S., the Dow Jones industrial average rose 30.46, or 0.3 per cent, to 10,437.42. The broader Standard&Poor’s 500 index rose 1.02, or 0.1 per cent, to 1,110.32, while the Nasdaq composite index rose 5.93, or 0.3 per cent, to 2,203.78. U.S. futures pointed to a slightly lower open Wednesday on Wall Street. Dow futures were down 3 points at 10,395 and S&P futures were off 1.1, or 0.1 per cent, at 1,106.30. Oil prices rose further, closing in on $80 barrel in Asia after an unexpected drop in U.S. crude supplies suggested demand could be improving. Benchmark crude for December delivery was up 51 cents to $79.66 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 24 cents to settle at $79.14 on Tuesday. Gold was trading up 0.6 per cent at a new record of 1146.5. In currencies, the dollar fell to 89.11 yen from 89.24 yen. The euro rose to $1.4917 from $1.4874. (The Canadian Press) North American markets (previous close) Back to Top Dow Jones 10,437.42 +30.46 or +0.29% +18.93% S&P 500 1,110.32 +1.02 or +0.09% +22.92% NASDAQ 2,203.78 +5.93 or +0.27% +39.74% TSX Composite 11,631.62 +119.36 or +1.04% +29.42% International markets Back to Top Open Change YTD Nikkei 9,676.80 -53.13 or -0.55% +9.22% Hang Seng 22,840.33 -73.82 or -0.32% +58.75% SENSEX 16,998.78 -51.87 or -0.30% +76.20% FTSE 100 5,367.90 +21.97 or +0.41% +21.06% CAC 40 3,854.81 +25.75 or +0.67% +19.79% DAX 5,816.45 +38.02 or +0.66% +20.92% Bonds Back to Top Bonds $Current $Previous %Yield Cdn. 10-year bond 103.15 102.93 3.36 Cdn. 30-year bond 118.47 118.12 3.90 U.S. 10-year bond 100.25 100.44 3.35 U.S. 30-year bond 101.88 102.09 4.26 Currency Back to Top BoC Close Today Previous Canadian $ 0.9553 0.9514 US $ 1.0468 1.0511 Euro Spot Rate Today Previous Canadian $ 0.6388 0.9514 Euro 1.5654 1.0511 Commodities Back to Top Gold AM PM London Gold Fix ($US) $1,146.00 $1,130.00 Oil Open Change WTI Crude Future (US) $80.05 +$0.91 or +1.15% (11/18/09) Staff The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998. Save Stroke 1 Print Group 8 Share LI logo