Good morning traders!

In the US last night, the Dow fell 8 points to 15,292, the Nasdaq rose 17 points to
3,521 and the S&P500 was flat at 1,653.

In Asia today, the Nikkei was recently down 105 points at 14,312 and the Hang Seng
up 449 points at 21,354.

WTI crude oil traded at $106.40 a barrel and Brent crude at $108.51.

Gold settled at $1,285 an ounce.

Good hunting!

G.

German WPI m/m -0.4% 0.3% -0.4%

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Thursday, July 11

LONDON, July 11 | Thu Jul 11, 2013 6:59am BST
(Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open 101 to 104 points higher, or as much as 1.6 percent, on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on

* The blue-chip FTSE 100 ended 8.12 points, or 0.1 percent, lower at 6,504.96 on Wednesday, but is expected to rally at the open on Thursday on rising expectations the Federal Reserve will maintain its ultra-loose monetary policy, which has supported equities, for longer than expected.

Nikkei edges up despite yen's strength; rallies in Asian stocks also help

Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:17am BST
TOKYO, July 11 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average
rebounded on Thursday in choppy trade even though the yen's
rally paused, while firmer Asian stocks boosted market
sentiment.

The Nikkei rose 0.4 percent to 14,472.58, after
opening 1.0 percent lower on the back of the yen's surge against
the dollar. Index heavyweight Fast Retailing gained 1.8
percent and buoyed the benchmark.

The broader Topix was almost flat at 1,194.77.

French CPI m/m 0.2% 0.1% 0.1%

Bank of Japan stands pat, says economy starting to recover

TOKYO | Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:45am BST
(Reuters) - The Bank of Japan said an economic recovery was underway as it kept monetary policy steady on Thursday, its most optimistic view in two-and-half years reflecting the positive impact of a weakening yen and its massive monetary stimulus on activity.

The central bank made no major changes to its forecast that consumer inflation will accelerate in the coming years to near 2 percent in the business year ending March 2016, a key target for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's drive to reflate the economy.

FTSE100 jumps as miners enjoy surge in metals prices

GBP 30-y Bond Auction 3.55|1.7 3.29|2.0

Miners underpin modest FTSE100 gains at midday

CAD NHPI m/m 0.1% 0.3% 0.2%

USD Unemployment Claims 360K 342K 343K

USD Import Prices m/m -0.2% 0.1% -0.6%

Portugal president throws politics into disarray

LISBON | Thu Jul 11, 2013 3:55pm BST
(Reuters) - Portugal's president threw the bailed-out euro zone country into disarray on Thursday after rejecting a plan to heal a government rift, igniting what critics called a "time bomb" by calling for early elections next year.

President Anibal Cavaco Silva proposed a cross-party agreement between the ruling coalition and opposition Socialists to guarantee wide support for austerity measures needed for Portugal to exit its bailout next year, followed by elections.

FTSE100 ends day comfortably higher thanks to the miners