Australia shares seen rallying on Dow record, upbeat U.S. data
SYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australian shares are seen rising
after the Dow closed at another record high as U.S. economic
data affirmed most investors' expectations that the Federal
Reserve is unlikely to scale back its stimulus until early next
year.
* Local (Frankfurt: OTQ.F - news) share price index futures rose 0.7 percent,
a 49.7-point premium to the underlying S&P/ASX (Berlin: AUX.BE - news) 200 index
close. The benchmark rose fell 0.4 percent on Thursday.
* New Zealand's benchmark NZX 50 index was flat in
early trade.
* The Dow industrials closed above 16,000 on Thursday for
the first time and other major indexes also ended higher after
economic data pointed to a slowly improving labor market and
subdued inflation.
* Australia's top central banker on Thursday said he was
"open-minded" on whether to intervene to try and push the
Australian dollar lower, escalating a rhetorical campaign
against the painfully high currency.
* Copper rose at the close as a softer dollar and a
short-term shortage of refined metal offset worries about a fall
in China factory activity and U.S. central bank stimulus
tapering.
* Gold rose, rebounding from a four-month low set earlier in
the session.
* Global miner Rio Tinto (Xetra: 855018 - news) 's Chairman Jan du Plessis
will speak at an Australian-British Chamber of Commerce lunch.
* Australia's largest food manufacturer Goodman Fielder (Other OTC: GDFLF - news)
and department store David Jones Ltd will both
hold AGMs later in the day.
------------------ MARKET SNAPSHOT @ 2133 GMT ------------------
INSTRUMENT LAST PCT CHG NET CHG
S&P 500 1,795.85 0.81% 14.480
USD/JPY 101.08 1.06% 1.060
10-YR US TSY YLD 2.786 -- -0.005
SPOT GOLD 1,242.46 -0.01% -0.130
US CRUDE 95.2 1.44% 1.350
DOW JONES 16,009.99 0.69% 109.17
ASIA ADRS 149.53 -0.04% -0.07
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* Dow industrials closes above 16,000 for first time
* Oil jumps $2, U.S. gasoline squeeze aids rally
* Gold rebounds as bargain hunt offsets Fed taper woes
* Copper gains on dollar, shortage after typhoon
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(Reporting by Thuy Ong, editing by G Crosse)