NEW YORK - Wall Street ended mixed on Thursday after investors largely shrugged off a jump in oil prices and focused instead on a bullish analyst call on Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc that eased worries about the financial sector.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 12.78, or 0.11 per cent, to 11,430.21.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose 3.18, or 0.25 per cent, to 1,277.72, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 8.70, or 0.36 per cent, to 2,380.38.
LONDON - European stock markets closed lower on Thursday as higher oil prices back above $US120 added to gloom over the economic outlook and the health of the banks.
The FTSE 100 index held up better than its peers to show a loss of just 1.6 points or, 0.03 per cent, to 5,370.20 points.
FRANKFURT - The DAX was down 80.84 points, or 1.28 per cent at 6,236.96 points.
PARIS - The CAC 40 fell 61.26 points, or 1.40 per cent, to 4,304.61 points.
TOKYO - The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index lost 99.48 points to end at 12,752.21.
HONG KONG - Hong Kong shares closed 2.58 per cent down on Thursday, taking the benchmark index to a 15-month low, after Beijing failed to confirm reports of new measures to stimulate the economy.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 539.20 points to 20,392.06.
WELLINGTON - The New Zealand sharemarket nudged into positive territory on Thursday to outperform weak Asian markets as the annual reporting season wound up.
The benchmark NZSX-50 index closed up 0.04 points at 3332.06.
SYDNEY - The Australian stock market is expected to open flat today after a mixed lead from the US, although the futures index in Sydney was higher.
At 0745 AEST, the Sydney Futures Exchange’s September share price index futures contract was up 31 points at 4,875.
Annual results are due from Goodman Group, Worldwide Exploration, Insurance Australia Group, Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund and Billabong International.
Interim results are due from Caltex Australia Ltd.
The market awaits a statement from ABC Learning, which yesterday requested a trading halt on its shares pending an announcement.
Yesterday, the Australian share market closed lower after falls in the financial sector.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 54.3 points, or 1.1 per cent, to 4875.2, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 47.9 points, or 0.96 per cent to 4949.6.
NYMEX
Oil prices rocketed on Thursday as traders tracked geopolitical tensions between the United States and Russia, a weak dollar and a large drop in US motor fuel reserves.
New York’s main oil futures contract, light, sweet crude for delivery in October, soared more than $6, to settle eventually up $US5.62 at $US121.18 per barrel.
Brent crude settled $US5.80 higher at $US120.16.
October briefly rallied a similar amount to a two-week high of $US120.93.
COMEX
Gold futures for December delivery gained $US22.70 to $US839.00 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Silver for September delivery added 68.7 US cents to settle at $US13.84 on the Nymex while September copper increased 14.9 US cents to settle at $US3.546 a pound.
