Market Report 3.9.10

New Zealand shares ended slightly higher on Thursday, with the NZX-50 ending up 0.2%, or 5.38 points, at 3082.48, reports First NZ Capital

 Fletcher Building rose 0.9% to NZ$7.68. New Zealand Farming Systems Uruguay fell 1.4% to NZ$0.69 after the company's directors recommended shareholders accept Olam International's offer of NZ$0.70 a share for the company. Pyne Gould Corp. closed down 2.4% at NZ$0.41.

In Australia the S&P/ASX200 ended higher on Thursday, gaining 37 points (0.8%) to close at 4532.7 following global markets which rose on strong manufacturing data from the US and China. There were approximately 2.1bn shares traded for a value of A$4.9bn. Advancers outnumbered decliners 654 to 416. Among the advancers was Flight Centre, up 3.6%, WorleyParsons increased 2.1% and Energy Resources finished 2.2% higher. Among the decliners was Gunns, falling 5.9%, Nufarm declined 2.5% and Whitehaven Coal dropped 1.8%.

US stocks was higher on Thursday, extending the previous session's big gains, one day before the U.S. government releases its monthly report on jobs and

unemployment. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 40 points to 10,309.66. The S&P 500 gained 8.58 points to 1088.87 and the NASDAQ rose 20.54 to 2197.38.

Most European stocks rose as an unexpected increase in U.S. pending home sales and a drop in jobless-benefit claims eased concern that the world’s largest economy may tip back into recession. France’s CAC was up 7.59 points to 3631.43.

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