Hello traders!

In the US tonight, the Dow was up 48.03 points at 11,782.35 with the S&P500
ahead 9 points at 1,305.32 and the Nasdaq Composite 25.85 points better at
2,439.95.

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

G.

Good morning traders!

In Asia this morning, the Nikkei finished the morning session down 95.04 points at
13,335.87, while Hang Seng reached midway up 377.54 points at 22,236.88.

US crude oil fell 45 cents to $114.00 a barrel, while London Brent crude fell 26
cents to $112.41.

Happy days!

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

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

Russia's punitive campaign in the Caucasus threatened to intensify into all-out war against Georgia last night, with Russian troops seizing control of strategic towns a couple of hours from the capital, and aircraft pounding Georgian infrastructure.
Russian troops close in on Georgian capital

Oil prices have fallen to their lowest level since early May and gold had one of its biggest ever one-day falls as fears dissipated that the war between Russia and Georgia would cause serious economic damage.
Oil and gold prices drop as hopes rise for Georgia truce

America's central bank has been pressing major investment banks to stress test their balance sheets in order to make sure they could survive under the sort of pressures that led to the near-collapse of Bear Stearns.
Federal Reserve stress tests banks to avoid Bear Stearns repeat

The Bank of Englands headache over severe price pressures worsened yesterday as a record surge in the cost of goods leaving factories reinforced expectations that headline inflation would hit 5 per cent over the summer.
Inflation set to hit 5 per cent as goods prices surge

The housing market ground to a virtual standstill last month as the drought in the mortgage market helped to drive down the number of homes changing hands to levels not seen for four decades, a key survey shows today.
Property market grinds to a halt amid mortgage drought

Suspicion over the collapse of Bear Stearns is centring on a massive options trade, less than two weeks before the historic investment bank went under in March, by which a single investor made a profit of more than $270m (141m) on a bet against the company's share price.
Bear bet that netted 141m throws fresh suspicion on collapse

NIKKEI 225	AUSTRALIA ASX200	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

Thomson Financial Europe AM at a glance share guide: Shares, oil mixed

London shares outlook - Lower ahead of CPI; Intercontinental Hotels H1 dueThe Tuesday Press Roundup

BROKERWATCH Old Mutual cut to 'neutral' vs 'buy' at UBS, target to 108p vs 132pBROKERWATCH Standard Chartered cut to 'sell' from 'hold' by Citigroup

Tokyo shares close lower on profit-takingThomson Financial UK at a glance share guide

Tokyo shares close lower on profit-taking - UPDATE

UK smallcap opening - Netstore rises on agreed 32 pence cash bid from 2e2

UK smallcap opening - Ascent Resources firms as gas production starts at PEN-104

UK smallcap opening - Pan Andean ticks up as seismic programme completed

STOCKWATCH InterContinental Hotels flat as downbeat outlook offsets pleasing H1UK smallcap opening - Maxima higher after 24 percent FY profits increaseLondon shares open lower ahead of CPI; Standard Chartered top FTSE 100 faller

STOCKWATCH Pearson down as Credit Suisse reiterates switch into Reed ElsevierUK smallcap opening - Highland Gold cheaper after in-line update

UK smallcap opening - Woolworths adrift on appointment of new CEO

STOCKWATCH UBS turns higher as restructuring hopes outweigh poor Q2 numbers

UK small caps open firmer; Netstore surges on agreed 32 pence 2e2 bid

STOCKWATCH InterContinental Hotels higher as investors digest pleasing H1 UPDATE

Metals - Gold hits 8 month low, leads precious metals down

London shares - mid-morning features