Asia Stocks Rebound as U.S., Europe Futures Gain; Yen, Gold Fall

Asian shares rebounded from a three-year low, led by a surge in Japanese shares, amid speculation losses that pushed global equities into a bear market were excessive. U.S. and European stock futures rallied as China’s yuan jumped by the most since a dollar peg was scrapped in 2005.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was headed for its biggest gain since April 2009 and Japan’s Topix soared 8 percent.The Shanghai Composite Index declined as trading resumed after the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, while the yuan climbed to its strongest level of the year as China reported a record trade surplus.

U.S. crude slipped to about $29 a barrel, after a 12 percent surge on Friday that burnished investor sentiment. The yen retreated with gold as haven assets fell out of favor.An MSCI gauge of global equities capped a 20 percent slide from a May record last week as the Federal Reserve acknowledged the volatility around the world and signaled it may delay further monetary tightening.

China’s central bank stepped up efforts to restore stability to the nation’s currency and economy, with Governor Zhou Xiaochuan saying there’s no basis for continued yuan depreciation. After sinking for six straight days on glut concerns, crude futures jumped by the most in seven years on Friday as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rebounded on stronger-than-expected U.S. retail sales data.

An 11 percent drop in China’s exports in January was eclipsed by an even bigger tumble in imports, leaving a record $63.3 billion trade surplus for the world’s biggest trading nation, a report showed on Monday.

Japan announced a bigger-than-expected decline in fourth-quarter gross domestic product, spurring speculation the central bank will boost stimulus. Financial markets in the U.S. and Canada will be closed Monday for holidays.

Investors dump stocks, seek safe havens as bank fears flare

Asian share markets were scorched on Tuesday as stability concerns put a torch to European bank stocks and sent investors stampeding to only the safest of safe-haven assets.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso

As fear overwhelmed greed, yields on longer-term Japanese bonds fell below zero for the first time, the yen surged to a 15-month peak and gold reached its most precious since June.

Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso felt moved enough to warn the yen's rise was "rough", something of an understatement as the Nikkei .N225 nosedived 5.4 percent.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell 1.2 percent, with Australian shares hitting 2-1/2-year closing low, and would have been lower if not for holidays in many centres.

Spread-betters see another weak session in European shares, where German DAX .GDAX is seen falling 0.7 percent and Britain's FTSE .FTSE 0.5 percent.

S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 fell more than 1 percent at one point. All of which magnified the stakes for U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's testimony this week.

Wall Street pared losses but still ended deep in the red. The Dow .DJI lost 1.1 percent, while the S&P 500 .SPX fell 1.42 percent and the Nasdaq .IXIC 1.82 percent. 

The rout began in Europe on Monday, when the FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index shed 3.4 percent to its lowest since late 2013, led by a near 6 percent dive in the banking sector .SX7P.

Deutsche Bank (DBKGn.DE) alone sank 9.5 percent as concerns mounted about its ability to maintain bond payments. Late Monday, the German bank said it has "sufficient" reserves to make due payments this year on AT1 securities.

Asian stocks struggle as oil falters, China weakens

Asian stocks held near the day's lows on Wednesday as a relapse in oil prices and fresh drops in Chinese stocks made sentiment even more fragile before a U.S. Federal Reserve policy statement due later.

European shares are expected to have a mixed start. Spreadbetters are expecting Britain's FTSE and France's CAC 40 to to open flat to slightly higher and Germany's DAX to open broadly unchanged.

Technology giant Apple Inc's forecast of its first revenue drop in 13 years signalled a risk of diminishing corporate profitability and more downgrades.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was near the day's lows with meagre gains of 0.2 percent. Australian shares dropped 1.2 percent.

With Chinese stocks falling more than 3 percent after a 6.4 percent tumble in the previous session, Asia failed to draw much support from an overnight bounce on Wall Street led by upbeat earnings results and a bounce in crude oil. U.S. stock futures were pointing to a weaker start.

Benchmark indexes fell sharply on Wednesday taking losses over two sessions to nearly 10 percent with both the mainland and the Hong Kong stock markets worst performers globally.

Valuations had taken quite a beating. The benchmark Hong Kong stock market index was trading at a price to earnings multiple of 7.4 times, a post 2008 crisis low while the China enterprises index was being quoted at a multiple of less than 6 times, its cheapest since December 2001.

"The Hang Seng China Enterprises index is currently priced for a credit event which we think is slightly extreme," said Michelle Leung, CEO of Xingtai Capital Management, a hedge fund focused on Chinese consumer stocks. 

China rout, oil gloom deepen losses in Asian shares

A plunge in Chinese share markets capped a miserable day for Asian equities on Tuesday, with a renewed slide in oil prices giving investors few reasons to reassess a darkening outlook for the global economy. 

Japan's Nikkei .N225 fell 2.4 percent while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index .HSI declined 2.3 percent, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS falling 1.5 percent after two days of gains since late last week.

Mainland Chinese shares .SSEC .CSI300 slumped more than six percent to a 14-month low in another sign that authorities in Beijing have their work cut out in their efforts to stabilise the fickle domestic markets.

European shares are expected to follow suit. Spreadbetters are expecting Britain's FTSE .FTSE and France's CAC 40 to .FCHI fall by as much as 0.8 percent and Germany's DAX .GDAX to drop 0.7 percent.

Crude oil prices have tumbled around 7 percent so far this week as top producers show no sign of cutting production.

The chairman of Saudi Aramco said on Monday the firm is continuing to invest in oil and gas production capacity, despite cost-cutting because of low oil prices.

Iraq's output reached a record last month and a senior Iraqi official said Iraq may raise output further this year.

Oil prices have fallen more than 75 percent from their 2012 peaks as global output was boosted by U.S. shale oil production and demand growth turned tepid, partially caused by the Chinese economy's slowing growth.

The massive price fall is putting huge pressure on profitability of energy firms worldwide, which are in turn slashing investment and cutting jobs.

The U.S. S&P .SPX fell 1.6 percent to 1,877.08, led by a 4.5 percent drop in the energy sector .SPNY.

Asia rises after cold spell lifts oil, dollar stands tall

Asian stocks on Monday moved further away from four-year lows struck last week, as a cold spell in parts of the northern hemisphere pushed oil prices higher and relieved some of the bearish pressure on global markets.

World equities also took heart from the European Central Bank last week signalling additional monetary easing steps to come, raising hopes that other central banks, like the Bank of Japan, would take the same path.

Spreadbetters forecast a higher open for Britain's FTSE, Germany's DAX and France's CAC against the positive backdrop for equities.

The dollar stood tall, notably against the safe-haven yen, as risk aversion eased slightly for now and pushed U.S. Treasury yields higher.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 1.5 percent, putting further distance between a four-year low plumbed last week.

Shanghai stocks added 1 percent and Tokyo's Nikkei, which slumped to a one-year low last week, rose 1.2 percent. Australian shares advanced 1.8 percent to a two-week peak.

On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 2 percent and the Dow added 1.3 percent Friday as a cold snap in North America and Europe caused a rally in oil prices. The S&P energy sector surged 4.3 percent.

Both the Federal Reserve and Bank of Japan hold policy meetings this week, with the Fed meeting on Jan. 26-27 and the BOJ gathering immediately after, on Jan. 28-29.

Investors will look for any hints of when the Fed intends to make a second interest rate hike, while there is speculation that the BOJ could opt to take additional easing measures.

Asia stocks end week rallying off four-year lows

Asian stocks bounced at the end of a tumultuous week, recovering from four-year lows thanks to hints of more monetary policy support by the European Central Bank and a rally in crude oil from 12-year lows.

European markets could follow, with financial spreadbetters expecting Britain's FTSE 100.FTSE to open up about 0.4 percent, Germany's DAX .GDAXI to start the day as much as 0.9 percent higher, and France's CAC 40 .FCHI to be up as much as 0.8 percent.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 2.6 percent, the most since Sept. 9, after probing a four-year low on Thursday.

That puts the index on track for a 0.2 percent gain for a week in which oil prices plunged and China-led global growth concerns pummelled risk assets globally.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 surged 5.9 percent at the close, the most in more than four months, moving away from a 15-month low struck Thursday. 

It was boosted by speculation that the Bank of Japan would opt for additional stimulus at its Jan. 28-29 policy meeting. The rally shrank losses for the week to 1.1 percent.

Asian stocks bounced at the end of a tumultuous week, recovering from four-year lows thanks to hints of more monetary policy support by the European Central Bank and a rally in crude oil from 12-year lows.

European markets could follow, with financial spreadbetters expecting Britain's FTSE 100.FTSE to open up about 0.4 percent, Germany's DAX .GDAXI to start the day as much as 0.9 percent higher, and France's CAC 40 .FCHI to be up as much as 0.8 percent.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 2.6 percent, the most since Sept. 9, after probing a four-year low on Thursday.

That puts the index on track for a 0.2 percent gain for a week in which oil prices plunged and China-led global growth concerns pummelled risk assets globally.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 surged 5.9 percent at the close, the most in more than four months, moving away from a 15-month low struck Thursday. 

Asia stocks get welcome respite as crude prices bounce

Battered crude oil prices bounced back from their lows on Thursday, propelling solid gains in Asian shares and the dollar.

Thursday's gains built on Wall Street's consolidation overnight in which major indexes finished with declines of more than 1 percent, but well off the 3 percent plus they plumbed in the previous session when U.S. crude had dropped to 2003 lows.

New front-month U.S. March oil futures fell nearly 4 percent on the day to close at $28.35 a barrel, but they were up 1.2 percent in Asian trade at $28.70, a far cry from the expiring contract on U.S. crude for February delivery, which slid 6.7 percent to settle at $26.55.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan extended early gains and was up 1.4 percent while Japan's Nikkei average added 1.5 percent, clawing back some of the 3.7 percent it plunged in the previous session to a 14-1/2 month closing low.

China's bluechip CSI300 index was down 0.5 percent in early trade, and the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.8 percent.

The dollar bounced back from a one-year low against its perceived safe-haven Japanese counterpart. The greenback added about 0.4 percent to 117.38 yen after falling as low as 115.97 on Wednesday, even as it marked impressive gains against some emerging market currencies.

U.S. data out on Wednesday undermined the dollar overnight. U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly fell in December, suggesting inflation was more sluggish than the U.S. Federal Reserve believed.

Other Wednesday data showed a drop in housing starts and building permits last month, which led investors to pare expectations of further interest rate hikes this year.

The euro edged down about 0.2 percent to $1.0870, ahead of the European Central Bank's regular policy meeting later in the session. Expectations are for the ECB to hold interest rates steady but highlight increasing risks to growth and inflation while keeping the door open for further easing steps later this year.

Asian stocks slide to four-year lows as oil spirals lower

Asian stock markets slumped to fresh four-year lows on Wednesday as a relentless slide in oil prices snuffed out an attempted rally on Wall Street and dealt a further blow to global investors' appetite for riskier assets.

European stocks were expected to fall sharply at the open on Wednesday with financial spreadbetters predicting Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE to open down 2 percent, Germany's DAX .DAXI to fall 2.4 percent and France's CAC .FCHI to slip 2.2-2.4 percent.

U.S. crude wallowed at its lowest since 2003 after the world's energy watchdog warned the market could "drown in oversupply". U.S. futures CLc1 shed nearly 3 percent to $27.68 while Brent crude LCOc1 lost 2 percent to $28.21 a barrel.

In Asia, stocks surrendered all of Tuesday's rare gains with the MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS falling 2.6 percent on the day and hitting its lowest since October 2011.

Leading regional stocks lower was the Hong Kong stock market .HSI with the benchmark index falling 3.7 percent on the day, its single biggest daily fall since early August, with all of its 50 constituents in the red.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 closed down 3.7 percent, leaving it 20 percent below last year's peak, meeting the technical definition of a bear market. The pain was felt widely with Australian stocks down 1.3 percent and South Korea .KS11 off 2.3 percent.

Chinese markets fared only marginally better than regional counterparts amid mounting talk that more stimulus may be on the way, possibly before the Lunar New Year holidays in early February.
December factory output, investment and retail sales data released on Tuesday were all weaker than expected.

The CSI300 index .CSI300 fell 1.3 percent, after rallying more than 3 percent on Tuesday. The Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC eased 0.9 percent.

The government-backed China Securities Journal reported that Beijing had the policy space for further easing to support the economy, including raising deficit spending to around 3 percent of annual economic output.

China's central bank late Tuesday revealed it would inject more than 600 billion yuan ($91.22 billion) into the banking system to help ease a liquidity squeeze expected before the long Lunar New Year celebrations.

Asian shares drop to 2011 levels as oil slump intensifies

Asian shares slid to their lowest levels since 2011 on Monday after weak U.S. economic data and a massive fall in oil prices stoked further worries about a global economic downturn.

Spreadbetters expected a subdued open for European shares, forecasting London's FTSE.FTSE to open modestly higher while seeing Germany's DAX .GDAXI and France's CAC.FCHI to start flat-to-slightly-weaker.

Crude prices faced fresh pressure after international sanctions against Iran were lifted over the weekend, allowing Tehran to return to an already over-supplied oil market. Brent oil futures LCOc1 fell below $28 per barrel LCOc1, touching their lowest level since 2003.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell to its lowest since October 2011 and was last down 0.5 percent.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 tumbled as much as 2.8 percent to a one-year low. It has lost 20 percent from its peak hit in June, meeting a common definition of a bear market.On Wall Street, S&P 500 .SPX hit a 15-month low on Friday, ahead of Monday's market holiday.

The Chinese yuan rose 0.6 percent CNH= in the offshore trade to 6.5808 to the dollar, however, as Chinese authorities continued to stamp down speculative yuan selling.

China will start implementing a reserve requirement ratio (RRR) on some banks involved in the offshore yuan market, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said on Monday, in what appears to be its latest attempt to stem speculation in the currency.

Asia shares hit 3-1/2-year lows as oil resumes fall

Asian stocks surrendered earlier gains to hit 3-1/2-year lows on Friday as renewed pressure on oil prices and disappointing Chinese data kept investors on edge.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan declined 0.3 percent to the lowest level since June 2012, and was on track for a loss of 2.7 percent for the week.

Japan's Nikkei rose 0.7 percent, but was set for a weekly loss of 1.9 percent.

Oil prices rebounded on Thursday, with international benchmark Brent futures rising 2.4 percent to $31.03 a barrel, recovering from its 12-year low of $29.73 hit earlier in the day.

But that rally, largely driven by short-covering after a 20 percent fall since the start of year, proved to be shortlived.

The collapse in oil prices has spooked financial markets as investors worried about the health of the global economy, with a slowdown in China and volatility in its markets making for a nervous start to the year.

"Furthermore, oil prices were under pressure once again, constraining any relief rally in energy and material stocks."Brent crude opened weaker on Friday and lost 0.6 percent to $30.69.

U.S. crude fared even worse, slumping 1.8 percent to $30.63 as the prospect of additional Iranian supply looms over the market. It had posted the first significant gains for 2016 in the previous session.

Stocks in China also returned to negative territory after a brief rebound in late trading on Thursday.

Asian Stock Market News - Asian Shares Skidded On Thursday

Asian shares stumble on Wall St. losses, growth worries

Asian shares skidded on Thursday, taking their cue from steep losses on Wall Street as an overnight rout in oil prices heightened worries about the global economy.

U.S. crude prices CLc1 were up 0.8 percent at $30.72 a barrel, but still not far from Tuesday's nadir of $29.93, which was its lowest level since December 2003. Global benchmark Brent LCOc1 settled down 1.8 percent on Wednesday at $30.31 a barrel, after falling as low as $29.96. That marked its first move below $30 a barrel since April 2004.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS dropped 0.7 percent in early trade. Japan's Nikkei .N225 shed 3.3 percent, as downbeat domestic data added to the gloom.

Japan's core machinery orders fell 14.4 percent in November from the previous month, down for the first time in three months and marking a bigger decline than economists' median estimate for a 7.9 percent drop.

On Wednesday, better-than-expected China trade data lifted Asian sentiment and gave equities and commodities prices a much-needed boost. But those gains unraveled later in the global session, and major U.S. stock indexes finished with sharp losses.

The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield US10YT=RR plumbed its lowest levels since late October as investors sought safety in government debt. It stood at 2.078 percent in early Asian trade, compared with its U.S. close of 2.066 percent on Wednesday.

Undermined by lower U.S. yields, the dollar lost ground to the perceived safe-haven Japanese counterpart. It was buying 117.38 JPY=, down about 0.2 percent. The euro edged up about 0.1 percent to $1.0889 EUR=.

Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren sounded a cautious tone, saying global and U.S. economic growth may be slipping and could force the Fed into a more gradual course of rate hikes than officials currently expect.

Stocks find relief in China trade surprise

Asian shares made their first real rally of the year on Wednesday after Chinese trade data handily beat expectations, offering a rare shaft of light for the global economy.

The Asian giant reported exports dipped 1.4 percent in U.S. dollar terms in December, when analysts had looked for a drop of 8.0 percent. A 4.0 percent fall in imports was also much smaller than many had feared.

While investors harbour suspicions about the reliability of the data, on the surface they offered hope that world trade flows were at least stabilising after a dismal 2015.

It also suggested Beijing might prove successful in its increasingly forceful attempts to steady the yuan, so diminishing the danger of a sustained devaluation.

All of which was enough to temper the extreme levels of risk aversion that had built up over recent days.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan sped ahead by 1.6 percent and away from its lowest since late 2011.

Japan's Nikkei jumped 2.6 percent while battered Australian stocks gained 1.3 percent. The good cheer spread to E-mini futures contracts for the S&P 500 which climbed 0.8 percent.

Spreadbetters IG were tipping opening gains of around 0.7 percent for the FTSE, 1.2 percent for the DAX and 1 percent for the CAC.

Asian shares extend losses as China sows confusion

Asian shares sank to their lowest in over four years on Monday as doubts mounted about Beijing's ability to manage the world's second-biggest economy.

The absence of Tokyo for a holiday only made liquidity even harder to come by, heightening volatility. Currency markets saw some wild swings with the South African rand ZAR=D3 collapsing to record lows at one point before bouncing.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS slid 1.8 percent to its lowest since late 2011.

China's main indexes .CSI300.SSEC slumped more than 3 percent at one point, Australia 1.25 percent and the Philippines .PSI dropped 3.8 percent.

Financial spreadbetters IG predicted opening losses of 0.5 percent for the FTSE 100 .FTSE, 1.5 percent for the DAX .GDAXI and 1.2 percent for France's CAC .FCHI.

E-mini futures for the U.S. S&P 500 ESc1 fared better, turning flat after an early loss of 0.8 percent.
Commodities were again on the ropes as Brent crude oil LCOc1 shed 79 cents to $32.76 a barrel, while U.S. crude CLc1 was 69 cents lighter at $32.47.

China was again the epicenter of unease as the People's Bank confounded analysts by guiding the yuan's midpoint rate sharply stronger, a move that might calm concerns about a competitive devaluation but only added to market confusion as to Beijing's ultimate intent on its currency policy.

The move was an apparent reversal of the midpoint's recent weakening trend which included the biggest one-day drop in the guidance rate in five months on Jan. 7.

Asian shares rally as China drops circuit breaker, firms yuan setting

Asian shares rebounded on Friday, led by strong gains for battered Chinese stocks after China suspended its market circuit breaker system and set a firmer midpoint rate for yuan trading for the first time in nine days.

The improved sentiment looks unlikely to spill over into Europe, however, with financial spreadbetters expecting Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE to open flat, and Germany's DAX .GDAXI and France's CAC 40 .FCHI to start the day 0.5 percent lower.

Shares in Asia were still on track for their biggest weekly fall in more than four months, but Friday's advances seemed to reduce some of the fears that have hit global markets.

China announced late on Thursday that it suspended its new stock market circuit breaker introduced only on Monday as the system failed to reduce market volatility, with some market players even saying it backfired.

The CSI300 index .CSI300 of major Shanghai and Shenzhen stocks was up 2.7 percent and the Shanghai Composite .SSEC climbed 2.6 percent.

Higher Chinese stocks also supported MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS, which erased earlier losses to be up 0.5 percent. That put it on track for a decline this week of about 6 percent, which would be its biggest fall since August.

The People's Bank of China (PBOC) also helped soothe markets by setting a stronger yuan midpoint rate against the dollar.

CALL FOR CLARITY

After its sharply lower fix on Thursday, the PBOC had later sown confusion by reportedly intervening heavily to defend the yuan in offshore trade, reversing a decline of more than 1 percent that took it to a record low of 6.7600 per dollar.

That left dealers at a loss to know what the central bank's aims were. "Market volatility this week suggests that nobody really knows what the policy is right now. Or if the government itself knows or is capable of implementing the policy even if there is one," said DBS bank.

Markets will remain wary of China's currency goals, as mixed messages come from the central bank, which has repeatedly said it sees no basis for the currency to depreciate, while steering it gradually lower.

Sources told Reuters on Thursday that the PBOC is under increasing pressure from policy advisers to let the currency fall quickly and sharply, by as much as 10-15 percent, as its recent gradual softening is thought to be doing more harm than good.

A flurry of Chinese economic data in the coming weeks is likely to show economic activity continued to slow in December, adding to concerns about the outlook for 2016.

Asia stocks buffeted by China worries, North Korea nuclear test

Spreadbetters saw the somber mood spilling over into Europe, predicting a significantly lower open for Britain's FTSE .FTSE, Germany's DAX .GDAXI and France's CAC .FCHI.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS dropped 1 percent after the People's Bank of China set the yuan's midpoint rate CNY=SAEC at its weakest level in 4-1/2 years.

This accelerated the fall in the offshore yuan CNH=D3 which hit its lowest since October 2010, dragging down other emerging currencies like the Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht.

China has guided the yuan lower since a surprise devaluation of the currency last summer, rattling traders who fear it could eventually set off a round of competitive devaluations which will put further pressure on other emerging economies.

Some see the tactic as a desperate attempt by China to shore up growth, prompting concerns that the world's second-biggest economy could be even weaker than imagined, though others say further yuan weakness was inevitable in the face of the strong U.S. dollar.

A weaker yuan in theory improves the competitiveness of Chinese exports but the import cost increase it inflicts on the country's manufacturers would be an unwelcome side effect.

The latest worrying news on China came in a private survey which showed services sector activity expanded at its slowest rate in 17 months in December.

Elsewhere in North Asia, South Korea's KOSPI .KS11 and the won KRW= both fell on suspicions North Korea had conducted a nuclear test on Wednesday morning, which Pyongyang later confirmed.

Asian Stock Market News - China Stocks Recovery

Asia shares retreat again as China stocks' recovery short-lived

People walk past an electronic board showing the benchmark Shanghai and Shenzhen stock indices, on a pedestrian overpass at the Pudong financial district in Shanghai, China, January 4, 2016.

Asian shares retreated in choppy trade on Tuesday, led by Chinese stocks, whose early rebound fizzled out as investors remained unconvinced by Beijing's moves to restore market confidence following a disastrous start to the new year.

Prospects were brighter for European shares, however, as financial spreadbetters predicted Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE, Germany's DAX .GDAXI and France's CAC 40 .FCHI will all open about 1 percent higher.

E-Mini futures for the U.S. S&P 500 ESc1 also hinted at stabilization with a rise of 0.2 percent.
After a 7 percent plunge in Chinese stocks on Monday, the Shanghai Composite index .SSEC swung between positive and negative territory before closing down 0.3 percent.

The CSI300 index .CSI300 of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen ended the day up 0.3 percent.

Still, the volatility weighed on the rest of the region, with MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edging down 0.3 percent after a brief stint in positive territory.

Japan's Nikkei .N225 also gave up tentative earlier gains to end the day down 0.4 percent. Australian shares closed 1.6 percent lower.

An uneasy peace settled over markets after the People's Bank of China injected a generous slug of liquidity into domestic markets to keep borrowing costs down, but that didn't last long.

Asia stocks rise as crude prices stabilize

Asian stocks poked into positive territory on Tuesday, shrugging off early losses as Chinese shares rose a day after marking their biggest loss in a month and crude prices took back some lost ground.

Financial spreadbetters at IG expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open up by 2 points, while Germany's DAX and France's CAC were both seen rising by 0.6 percent.

"Asian markets have looked past the wobble in oil prices and Chinese data yesterday to push tentatively into the green," Angus Nicholson, market analyst at IG in Melbourne, said in a note to clients.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.1 percent. But it remained on track to mark a loss of around 12 percent for 2015, a year that saw it log a more than seven-year high in April.

China's blue-chip CSI300 index added 0.7 percent, while the Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.5 percent, as the central bank vowed to maintain reasonable credit growth and keep the yuan stable.

Both indexes had skidded more than 2 percent in the previous session as weak industrial profit data and a looming revamp of how companies will be listed, weighed on the market.

Japan's Nikkei erased earlier losses and ended up 0.6 percent, while South Korea's KOSPI was up 0.1 percent.

Asian shares at 2-1/2-week high, crude oil rebounds

Asian shares climbed to 2-1/2-week highs on Thursday, heartened by gains on Wall Street and a recovery in crude oil prices in thin trading ahead of the Christmas holiday.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.7 percent after U.S. stocks posted their third straight session of gains.
Now that this month's U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate hike is out of the way, investors were left to ponder how much tightening the Fed has in store for 2016, as well as the impact of the hike on the rest of the world.

Australian shares jumped 1.3 percent in a shortened Christmas Eve session, while Korea's KOSPI was up 0.3 percent.

U.S. crude futures added 0.6 percent at $37.71 a barrel while Brent crude futures rose 0.6 percent to $37.58. Both had added more than a dollar a barrel on Wednesday in thin trading, a day after Brent had touched its lowest level since July 2004.

Japan's Nikkei rose 0.3 percent, after Japanese markets were closed on Wednesday for the Emperor's birthday.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet approved on Thursday a record fiscal 2016 budget that counts on higher growth and tax revenue to achieve Abe's aim of reviving the economy and reining in public debt.

Minutes of the Bank of Japan's November rate review released earlier in the session showed that many policymakers complained of slow wage and capital expenditure growth, but were optimistic that companies will start to boost spending once emerging economies improve.

Asian stocks near two-week highs

Asia shares pushed ahead on Wednesday following a rally on Wall Street, while major currencies entered a holiday lull and oil strove to sustain a modest bounce from multi-year lows. 

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS firmed 0.6 percent to the highest in almost two weeks. Australia's main index rose 0.5 percent, while South Korea .KS11 added 0.3 percent.

For European markets, IG tipped an opening gain of 51 points for Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE, 83 points for Germany's DAX .GDAXI and 35 points for France's CAC 40 .FCHI.

Already shallow liquidity was drained further by the absence of Tokyo for the Emperor's Birthday, while on Thursday a host of markets globally will be either shut or closing early.

The data cupboard was also bare for Asia, leaving investors waiting on a hefty helping of U.S. figures covering personal incomes and spending, inflation and durable goods orders.

Some of that came early as the Bureau of Economic Analysis inadvertently released figures on U.S. personal consumption. As it was, the monthly increase of 0.3 percent was in line with forecasts and had no obvious impact on markets in Asia.

Equity investors were encouraged by a second session of gains for Wall Street. The Dow .DJI ended Tuesday up almost 1 percent, while the S&P 500 .SPX rose 0.88 percent and the Nasdaq .IXIC 0.65 percent.

Economic data showed a slight downward revision in U.S. economic growth to an annualised 2.0 percent, but that still pipped forecasts and consumer demand held up well.