Hello traders!

In the US tonight, the Dow was up 42.35 points at 13,475.12 with the S&P500
ahead 9.2 points at 1,486.85 and the Nasdaq Composite 10.39 points better at
2,662.74.

See you in the morning with the latest......

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

Telegraph
The Times
The Times (Need to know)
FT
The Guardian
The Independent
This is Money

Fallout from the sub-prime mortgage crisis wreaked further havoc yesterday as Bank of America, Wachovia and PNC all said that investment write-downs would be worse than forecast as the credit crunch worsened.
Credit crisis worsens as Alan Greenspan says the Fed is powerless

Home owners and borrowers were given fresh hope yesterday after an unprecedented intervention in the faltering financial markets by the world's largest central banks.
Banks pump billions into crisis-hit markets

Unprecedented announcement of $100bn cash injection to financial system initially rallies bourses but leaves traders with a strategic headache.
Markets confused by banks' aid

The co-ordinated move by five central banks to shore up confidence in the worlds frozen money markets is not the first piece of international co-operation to fend off a financial crisis. It is, however, one of the biggest joint efforts so far, and the first major intervention of its kind since the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
Great Depression drives Bernake's rescue

Questions about Bank of England Governor Mervyn King's handling of the liquidity crisis continued to be raised after it took a co-ordinated global effort to bail out the UK's banks. Mr King has been heavily criticised for failing to inject desperately needed funds into the three-month money market. Bankers described his early stance as "puritanical", while efforts to pump money into the markets in September failed because by then the stigma of drawing on central bank funds was considered "financial suicide".
Mervyn King's 'belated conversion' welcomed

Asian stocks eased on Thursday on market skepticism about plans by major central banks to tackle tight credit conditions, while the low-yielding yen found a steadier footing after sliding overnight.
Asian markets sceptical of credit plan

The crucial Christmas trading period has got off to a disastrous start for retailers, with the number of people shopping last week down by almost 4pc compared to the previous year.
No Christmas cheer for retailers

Sales of homes fell at their fastest pace for at least eight years last month, a key survey suggested yesterday. The number of newly agreed sales dropped for the fifth month in a row in November, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said. It is the sharpest decline since the survey began in 1999.
House sales tumble to worst level in eight

NIKKEI	AUSTRALIA	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Nikkei was recently down 288.87 points at 15,643.39, while the
Hang Seng was off 300.22 points at 28,220.84.

New York\'s main oil contract, light sweet crude for January delivery eased 34 cents
to $94.05 a barrel after shooting up $4.37 to close at $94.39 per barrel in New
York on Wednesday.

Happy trading!

TFN economic and business calendarAustralian shares close lower on concerns about credit, financial markets

OUTLOOK HBOS could write down 250-300 mln stg of US subprime assetsFOCUS Xstrata turns prey in BHP-Rio Tinto-sparked M&A wave

Australian shares close lower on concerns about credit markets - UPDATE

TFN UK calendar and forecasts for today

BROKERWATCH Hindustan Unilever initiated with 'outperform' at Credit Suisse

Tokyo shares close sharply lower on worries about worsening credit crisis

The Thursday Press Roundup

London shares outlook - down, as impact of global central banks aid is digested

BROKERWATCH Pearson downgraded to 'underperform' from 'neutral' at Credit Suisse

BROKERWATCH Shire, GlaxoSmithKline, Astrazeneca reinitiated by SG securities

Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guide

BROKERWATCH Ahold cut to 'equal-weight' from 'overweight' at Morgan StanleyTokyo shares close sharply lower on worries about worsening credit crisis UPDATE

UK smallcap opening - Bluewater Bio marked up on AIM debut

UK smallcap opening - Impact Holdings hardens on in-line interims

London shares open lower as impact of global central banks aid is digestedUK smallcap opening - Corsie climbs on fundraising moves

UK smallcap opening - Caza Oil & Gas resumes trading

UK smallcap opening - Jessops edges up on in-line FY losses

STOCKWATCH HBOS lower after trading update; Collins Stewart retains 'sell'

STOCKWATCH Rentokil down as warn on City Link profits; Seymour Pierce to 'hold'UK smallcap opening - Maghreb Minerals advances on positive resource statement

STOCKWATCH Impresa sharply higher as analysts cheer new TV programming directorUK smallcap opening - Scotty Group hardens as upbeat statement offsets FY loss

UK smallcap opening - Spice Holdings half-yearly results boosted

UK smallcap opening - Northgate Information runs back on bid doubtsLondon shares open lower; NY loses gains overnight; Rentokil slumps UPDATE

STOCKWATCH AMEC shares rise on profit forecast; Collins Stewart ups price targetMetals - Gold eases on profit taking after hitting 2-week high yesterday

STOCKWATCH AMEC shares rise on profit forecast; Collins Stewart ups price targetMetals - Base metals move lower as enthusiasm for Fed liquidity plan wanes

UK small caps open lower; Northgate Information retreats on bid doubts

Metals - Gold eases on profit taking after hitting 2-week high yesterday UPDATE

Metals - Copper moves lower as enthusiasm for Fed liquidity plan wanes UPDATE

London shares - mid-morning features

OUTLOOK Centrica to warn of New Year gas & electricity price rises - brokers

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For lots of discussion on indexes ftse dow etc...currencies and stocks please pop over to the TRADERS Board where there are many active posters on these topics on dedicated threads...


See you there.....

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Thomson Financial News at a glance - Today's UK, European broker recommendations

WALL STREET OUTLOOK Lower open seen on credit fears; Lehman results awaited

UK small caps hit low at midday; Northgate Info top loser on bid failure fears

Midday Market Roundup

Precious Metals Summary - London AM Fixings

FOCUS BoE opts for pragmatism over moral high mindedness

STOCKWATCH Reed Elsevier down, outperforming mkt on sale, Deutsche Bank \'buy\'

Kyoto , see the ftse + 250 thread on the investors side for the last word on "Grinchspan"

*GLAXOSMITHKLINE TO RAISE FOCUS ON NEUROSCIENCES WITH INVESTMENT IN CHINA

Goodness me Maddoctor, financial poetry/songs on MoneyAM... whatever next :-)

well it ain,t very chrismassy around here yet!

London shares - midafternoon features

Precious Metals Summary - London PM Fixings

Metals - Copper, base metals extend losses as equities languish

TFN economic and business calendar to Friday Dec 28

Metals - Gold down as dollar strengthens, lower oil prices reduce inflation risk

End-of-day Market Roundup

UK small caps close on day's low; SMC drops on possible fundraising

Maddoctor - Is this better? :-)