STOCK MARKET WATCH - Tuesday, 31 January 2012

[Ghost Dog]

16. Asian Stocks Advance on Greek Debt Deal Talks, Japan Industrial Production

Jan. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose, with a regional benchmark index headed for its biggest monthly rally since September 2010, as Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said major progress was made in debt-swap talks and Japan’s industrial production grew faster than economists estimated.

... The MSCI Asia Pacific Index increased 0.6 percent to 122.87 as of 5:31 p.m. in Tokyo, with 12 shares rising for every seven that fell. The measure has risen 7.9 percent so far this month, the biggest such advance since September 2010, amid bets China will ease lending curb, the U.S. economy is improving and Europe is containing its debts crisis...

... Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 0.1 percent. South Korea’s Kospi Index gained 0.8 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index climbed 1.1 percent. China’s Shanghai Composite Index (SHCOMP) added 0.3 percent. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index lost 0.2 percent...

... The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 7.2 percent this year through yesterday, compared with increases of 4.4 percent by the S&P 500 and 3.3 percent by the Stoxx Europe 600 Index. Stocks in the Asian benchmark are valued at 1.3 times book value. That compares with 2.1 times for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index in the U.S. and 1.4 times for the Europe Stoxx 600 Index in Europe.

A gauge of manufacturing shares led the advance among the 10 industry groups in the MSCI Asian gauge. Japanese machinery makers rallied as the nation’s factory production rose 4 percent in December from the previous month, the biggest increase in seven months.

/... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-31/asian-stocks-swing-between-gains-losses-on-europe-japan-production-data.html