China HSBC PMI shrinks to 11-month low in July

BEIJING | Thu Aug 1, 2013 4:03am BST
(Reuters) - China's factory activity shrank for a third straight month in July to its lowest level in nearly a year as new orders fell, a private survey showed on Thursday, signalling the persistent pressure on the economy has extended into the third quarter.

The HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by Markit Economics Research, fell to 47.7 in July from June's 48.2. It was the weakest reading since August 2012, and matched a preliminary figure published last week.

A reading below 50 indicates a contraction of activity while one above shows expansion.

STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-Golden Agri wallows near 3-year low, weighs on index

Thu Aug 1, 2013 7:09am BST
Golden Agri-Resources Ltd dropped nearly 2 percent to match a three-year low, as the company is expected to release lacklustre results later in the week, putting pressure on the index.

Golden Agri fell for the second straight day, after its subsidiary PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology Tbk announced a 28.5 percent drop in net profit in the first six months of the year on Wednesday.

"Assuming Golden Agri's 2Q results follows the same trend as SMART's, we project the group to report a net profit of US$55m-60m in 2Q13 and US$168-173m for 1H13," CIMB said in a research note.

Nikkei gains most in 3 weeks on China PMI, weaker yen; banks rally

Thu Aug 1, 2013 7:16am BST
TOKYO, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average jumped
2.5 percent on Thursday, marking its biggest one-day gain in
three weeks, as investors zoomed in on better-than-expected
Chinese manufacturing data, while a weaker yen and positive
earnings helped buoy the market.

The benchmark Nikkei added 337.45 points to
14,005.77, and the broader Topix climbed 2.8 percent to
1,163.39.

Lenders led the gains, supported by strong April-June
earnings results, with the banking sector subindex
rising 4.2 percent.

Spanish Manufacturing PMI 49.8 50.7 50.0

Italian Manufacturing PMI 50.4 49.8 49.1

FTSE100 modestly higher early on with Lloyds leading the way

GBP Manufacturing PMI 54.6 52.8 52.9

Thankyou Skinny for your posts on this thread, very useful imo

USD ISM Manufacturing PMI 55.4 52.1 50.9

USD Construction Spending m/m -0.6% 0.4% 0.5%

USD ISM Manufacturing Prices 49.0 53.0 52.5

FTSE100 ends session firmly higher with Lloyds the star turn