Building permits authorised by the municipal authorities and the district administration offices during October 2009 recorded a decrease of 7.6%, compared to September 2009. According to data released by the Statistical Service, the number of building permits authorised by the municipal authorities and the district administration offices during October 2009 stood at 716. The total
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Japan's Nikkei average hit a 15-month closing high on Tuesday after solid U.S. manufacturing data boosted investor confidence in the economy, lifting some blue-chip shares such as Canon Inc. But the market pared earlier gains after sources said Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group was planning a $8.7 bln share sale, helping the yen to strengthen on
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U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Monday for the first session of the year, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.7 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.6 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 1 percent at 4.15 a.m. ET. Eye care group Alcon (ACL.N) will be in
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British mortgage approvals rose at their fastest pace since March 2008 in November and net mortgage lending grew by more than expected, Bank of England figures showed on Monday. Separate figures showed the BoE's preferred money supply gauge — M4 excluding intermediate other financial corporations — rose by 0.9 percent, its fastest monthly pace since
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Growing confidence about the global economy lifted Asian stocks to a fresh 17-month high on Tuesday as investors continued to be drawn to riskier assets, while the dollar stabilised after a weak start to the year. The dollar steadied against a basket of major currencies after Monday's slide as upbeat manufacturing data from the United
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Financial markets kicked off 2010 on an upbeat note on Monday with world stocks close to 15-month highs on hopes for a sustainable economic recovery. The dollar was slightly weaker against a basket of major currencies while government bonds sold off. MSCI's all-country world stock index was up nearly half a percent, slightly below 2009
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Britain's top share index gained 0.6 percent in early trade on Monday, the first session of 2010, carrying over the end-2009 rally thanks to strength in heavyweight banks, oils, and miners. At 0907 GMT, the FTSE 100 index was 29.99 points higher at 5,442.87, having reached a fresh pre-Lehman collapse intra-day peak of 5,452.29. "The
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European shares rose on the first trading session of the year on Monday, extending last year's strong run, with banks, oil producers and drugmakers leading the gainers. By 0836 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of leading European shares was up 0.8 percent at 1,054.18 points, after surging 26 percent in 2009 — its best yearly
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The dollar dipped, coming off an earlier four-month high against the yen on Monday but remained broadly supported on growing optimism about the prospects for a U.S. recovery which has pushed up U.S. government bond yields. The euro also gained some support as purchasing managers' surveys confirmed that euro zone manufacturing activity expanded at its
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The economic downturn has frozen tourists' enthusiasm to travel to one of Australia's most remote and inhospitable Antarctic outposts with tourism operators reporting a sharp downturn in bookings. In January 2009 the Australian Antarctic Division reported a record five cruise ships carrying over 400 visitors visited the site of the Mawson's Huts in Cape Denison,
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