Hello traders!

In Asia today, the Nikkei was up 82.96 points at 9,879.04, while the Hang
Seng ended the morning ahead 212.62 points at 18,487.65.

Cride oil traded at $70.64 a barrel on Nymex.

Happy Friday!

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

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

Anaemic exports, a struggling domestic economy and a dramatic plunge in summer bonuses could cause Japans version of the sub-prime mortgage crisis to explode, a leading think-tank has warned.
Japan on verge of sub-prime mortgage crisis as summer bonuses plunge

Ireland is suffering more than any other advanced economy from the global recession and Irish banks could be facing losses of about 35bn (30bn), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said.
Irish economy is worst hit by downturn, IMF claims

Russia is considering at a sweeping bail-out of its banks that would go further than US actions. Igor Shuvalov, deputy prime minister, will meet financial experts on Friday to discuss ways to recapitalise Russias banking system, including the idea of taking stakes in troubled banks, according to a draft seen by the FT.
Russia considers bank bail-out

Relationship between Chancellor and Bank of England governor is getting chillier by the day.
Rift between Darling and King widens

City watchdog presses ahead with a ban on commission-based advice in radical shake-up of the investment industry.
FSA sounds death-knell for commission

NIKKEI 225	AUSTRALIA ASX200	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

KOSPI	VIX	GOLD	NYMEX CRUDE

AAL BarCap: upgraded to overweight from equalweight, tp raised to 2300 from 1700
AXC Citigroup: reiterated hold, tp raised to 2800 from 2400
DSGI SocGen: upgraded to hold from sell
INCH HSBC: downgraded to neutral from overweight, tp raised to 21 from 19
LAD Credit Suisse: reiterated marketperform, tp cut to 197 from 202
RIO Austock: upgraded to buy from hold
STAN CLSA: reiterated buy
STAN ING: reiterated sell, tp raised to 850 from 600
WMH Credit Suisse: reiterated marketperform, tp raised to 200 from 193

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