Good morning traders!

In the US last night, the Dow rose 26 points to 14,803, the Nasdaq fell 17 points to
3,678 and the S&P500 was flat at 1,656.

In Asia today, the Nikkei was recently up 110 points at 14,148 and the Hang Seng off
189 points at 22,844.

WTI crude oil traded at $101.61 a barrel and Brent crude at $109.06.

Gold settled at $1,307 an ounce.

Good hunting!

G.

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European Factors to Watch-Signs of progress in U.S. standoff to help shares

Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:34am BST
LONDON, Oct 10 (Reuters) - European shares were expected to snap a three-day
losing streak and bounce back from one-month lows on Thursday, on signs of some
progress to end the U.S. fiscal stalemate and avoid a possible debt default next
week.

U.S. Republicans were considering a short-term hike in the government's
borrowing authority to buy time for talks on broader policy measures, a
Republican leadership aide said on Wednesday. President Barack Obama has said he
would accept a short-term ceiling increase as long as no strings were attached.


Financial spreadbetters predicted a higher open for the European market,
mirroring gains on Wall Street and in Japan. Britain's FTSE 100 was seen
opening 10 to 16 points, or as much as 0.3 percent higher, Germany's DAX
to gain 33 to 41 points, or as much as 0.5 percent, and France's CAC 40
to rise 20 to 25 points, or as much as 0.6 percent.

U.S. shares rose 0.1 to 0.5 percent on Wednesday. The
pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index ended 0.5 percent lower on
Wednesday after hitting a one-month low. Japan's Nikkei average was up
0.9 percent on Thursday.

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Thursday, Oct. 10

LONDON | Thu Oct 10, 2013 6:55am BST
Oct 10 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening up 10 points on Thursday, according to financial bookmakers. For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on

* The blue-chip FTSE 100 index closed down by 0.4 percent, or 27.92 points, to 6,337.91 points, to mark its lowest closing level since ending at 6,229.87 points on July 3.

Nikkei hits 1-week high on hopes for progress in Washington

Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:17am BST
TOKYO, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average
gained 1.1 percent and hit a one-week high on Thursday, buoyed
by hopes that U.S. politicians will resolve the fiscal standoff
soon, lifting such exporters as Toyota Motor Corp and
Honda Motor Co.

The Nikkei closed up at 14,194.71 after touching
14,200.31, its highest since Oct. 3.

The Topix gained 1 percent to 1,177.95.

French Industrial Production m/m 0.2% 0.7% -0.6%

Opening Market Overview

Italian Industrial Production m/m -0.3% 0.6% -1.1%

GBP Asset Purchase Facility 375B 375B 375B

GBP Official Bank Rate 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%

FTSE100 firmly higher at midday on hopes of US deal

CAD NHPI m/m 0.1% 0.3% 0.2%

USD Unemployment Claims 374K 307K 308K

Here's how the shut down will be sorted:

Senior House Republican sources have been telling CNN since earlier this week the idea of raising the debt ceiling for four to six weeks is the most viable way out of the stalemate.

A House Democratic lawmaker told CNN on Wednesday evening that President Barack Obama held a private White House meeting. In it, he said he would likely agree to a short term debt ceiling deal if that’s what Republicans would support in order to avoid default, the lawmaker

http://ktla.com/2013/10/09/house-gop-to-unveil-short-term-debt-ceiling-increase/#ixzz2hKMozKYY

US Republicans in debt-ceiling offer

US Republicans have offered President Barack Obama a short-term debt limit increase to stave off default.

House Speaker John Boehner said they would do so in exchange for wider negotiations with the White House to end a government shutdown.

End-of-day Market Overview

Republicans offer plan to postpone U.S. default

WASHINGTON | Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:27pm BST
(Reuters) - Republicans in the House of Representatives offered a plan on Thursday that would postpone a possible U.S. default and urged President Barack Obama to negotiate an end to the 10-day government shutdown.

The move signalled a new willingness by Republicans to break a standoff of their own making that has thrown America's future creditworthiness into question.

Thousands denied shares in Royal Mail float as allocations capped at £10,000

No shares?.. You called.