Hello traders!

In the US tonight, the DJIA was up 6.1 points at 11,608.6, with the S&P500 ahead
2.63 points at 1,279.63 and the Nasdaq Composite 16.17 points better at 2,320.13.

See you tomorrow with the latest.......

G.

Good morning traders!

In Asia today, the Nikkei was recently up 194.96 points at 13,507.89, while the
Hang Seng was up 70.49 points at 23,205.04.

A barrel of U.S. light crude for September delivery fell 46 cents to a seven-week
low of $123.98 in early Asian trading on Thursday after tumbling by more than $4 a
barrel on Wednesday.

Happy trading!

G.

Morning all. Market reports:

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

The price of crude oil is approaching a tipping point, investment bank Lehman Brothers warned today, as it slashed its forecasts for demand growth next year. The bank expects the price of crude to fall back to an average of $90 a barrel in the first quarter of 2009, as a 12 months of already historically high prices weakens demand.
Oil price is reaching tipping point, says Lehman

The price of oil looks set to fall further in the coming days despite continued hurricane fears and concern over the political impasse between the United States and Iran. Energy analysts argue that the value of "black gold" will see further reductions - having already fallen around $20 from highs above $147 a barrel just a week and a half ago.
Oil price falls as US gasoline demand wanes

The so-called neutral level of interest rates is now below 5pc for the first time in well over a decade, indicating that the Bank of England will be able to leave the base rate lower for longer in the future, a report from a key Treasury adviser has shown.
Bank of England has room for interest rate relief

The Government is coming under increasing pressure to bring relief to a housing market starved of funding and in a state of near collapse.
Pressure mounts for housing market bail-out

Hank Paulson, the US Treasury secretary, appeared to have won his battle of wills with Congress yesterday over plans to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage finance giants whose feared collapse threatened to cripple the US economy.
Republicans back away from blocking Fannie rescue plan

The man who made a personal $3.7bn (1.85bn) fortune by predicting the credit crisis is hoping to make another killing by helping to prop up financial companies brought to the brink of ruin by the chaos in the debt markets.
Paulson hedge fund now looks to buy banks

The number of companies with weak cash flow and limited access to capital has risen to the highest level in five years as the world economy comes under increasing strain from the deepening financial crisis. Speculative grade companies with the weakest liquidity rating rose last month to the highest level since February 2003, according to Moodys, the ratings agency.
More companies struggle with liquidity

NIKKEI 225	AUSTRALIA ASX200	SHANGHAI	HANG SENG

VIX

09:00 EU PMI Manufacturing July (consensus 48.7)
09:30 UK Retail Sales June (MoM consensus -2.6%, YoY 4.4%)
13:30 US Initial Jobless Claims (consensus 380K)
13:30 US Continuing Claims (consensus 3160K)
15:00 US Existing Home Sales June (consensus 4.9M, MoM -1%)

OUTLOOK Investors to quiz Rolls-Royce about impact of oil prices, economic woesOUTLOOK BG Q2 profit seen lifted by strong LNG business, commodity pricesThomson Financial Europe AM at a glance share guide: Stocks firm; oil dips

*KINGFISHER SAYS 'CAUTIOUS ABOUT CONSUMER OUTLOOK'London shares outlook - flat, with retail sales, Kingfisher, and BG figures due

BROKERWATCH Lloyds TSB downgraded to 'hold' in UK bank review at Citigroup

Thomson Financial UK at a glance share guide

UK smallcap opening - Minerva Resources up on $3.5 million contract wins

UK smallcap opening - Burst Media runs back on FY EBITDA warning

UK smallcap opening - Pinnacle Staffing slides on FY operating profit warning

STOCKWATCH Mobistar rises on stronger-than-expected H1UK smallcap opening - Fountains down on FY breakeven warningLondon shares open slightly higher, Kingfisher gains as B&Q sales rise

BROKERWATCH Carphone Warehouse price target cut to 280p vs 300p at Merrill LynchUK smallcap opening - Alizyme drops on phase 111 trial failure

STOCKWATCH Sainsbury J lower as UBS cuts target to 325 pence from 385 pence

BROKERWATCH Software AG price targets upped at Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank

UK smallcap opening - Southern Bear edges up after FY results

UK smallcap opening - eServGlobal boosted by 50 percent dividend hike

UK small caps open lower; Alizyme hit by phase III trial failure

STOCKWATCH BG Group falls on takeover news; Evolution stays 'buy' on results