Christine Gaylican

Foreign currency trading can be confusing and nerve-wracking as you go about checking your investments on a daily basis.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar is unchanged this morning currently trading at USD1.0115 as the offshore markets digested the result of the Greek elections.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index inched ahead Monday after Spanish borrowing costs rose to a record high and Greek political leaders sought to form a pro-bailout coalition following Sunday's election. Stocks bounced from opening lows to waver between slight gains and losses for most of the day. The S&P 500 edged up 1.94 points, or 0.1%, to 1344.78

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The AUD has continued its firm tone from Friday's trading, as it appears a new coalition government will be formed in Greece between the New Democracy Party and PASOK, giving them control of 161 seats in the 301 seat parliament.

Risk currencies have gapped higher this morning as projections showed Greece's two largest pro-bailout parties winning enough seats to forge a parliamentary majority. Anti-bailout party Syriza received 26.6% and 71 seats. The euro raced to a high of 1.2747 against the greenback, while the Aussie dollar advanced to 1.01327 against the USD. With the euro taking the election results positively ahead, Asian markets are in for a firm open. As well as listening for political commentary in Greece, i...

Energy stocks led the U.S. market rally as rising optimism that the world's central bankers are primed to stabilize financial markets boosted stocks for a second day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 115.26 points, or 0.9%, to 12767.17 to close near Friday's session highs.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: Markets have ended higher, in what was a volatile week, as the G20 gives risk a boost ahead of Greek elections this weekend.

U.S. stocks rallied as signs of a worsening U.S. labor market and European debt picture bolstered investors' hopes that central bankers will again come to the rescue. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 155.53 points, or 1.2%, to 12651.91.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar opens at USD0.9950 this morning having re-tested parity overnight. The AUD found support on reports that the German Central Bank was considering purchasing Australian dollar assets.

Stocks sank into the red in late trading Wednesday, as worries about Europe and weak U.S. data eclipsed earlier optimism about financial stocks' outlooks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.6%, or 77.42 points, to 12496.38. Midday, it briefly edged above 12598. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index fell 9.3 points, or 0.7%, to 1314.88, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 24.46 points, or 0.9%, to 2818.61.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar is hovering around USD0.9950 this morning, after an interesting night with equity markets gaining, despite increasing concerns over the Euro debt crisis.

Stocks staged a rebound rally as investors cheered the potential for more stimulus from the Federal Reserve and as Europe's central bankers repeated their call for unified efforts to combat the region's financial issues. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 162.57 points, or 1.3%, to 12573.80 on Tuesday, erasing Monday's 143-point slide.

The Dow industrials snapped a four-day winning streak as investors questioned whether Madrid's weekend agreement to seek bailout funds for its banks will restore confidence in the Spanish economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 142.97 points, or 1.1%, to 12411.23 Monday.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The news of a Spanish bailout boosted the AUD over the long weekend, briefly trading above parity, but it has since retreated back as investors come to the realisation that this is merely a quick fix.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar continued its run higher overnight only to give back gains this morning, as the PBOC cut lending rates and boosted market sentiment early in the session.

The Dow industrials rose for a third straight session after surprise moves from China's central bankers, but a weak reading on U.S. consumer credit and no new direction from the Fed about potential stimulus kept a lid on gains.

U.S. stocks posted their biggest percentage gains of the year Wednesday as investors read remarks by central bankers in Europe and the U.S. as a signal that more monetary stimulus may be on the way. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 286.84 points, or 2.4%, to 12414.79, and the euro rose 1% to trade well above $1.25.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has experienced a strong squeeze higher as those with bearish sentiment on the local currency have been taken by surprise "again".

Australia's economic growth had exceeded expectations in the March quarter of 2012 on the back of better consumer spending and construction activities.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has held ground trading at USD 0.9750 following yesterday's widely expected interest rate cut by the RBA and some disappointing news in Europe overnight.

The Dow industrials rose Tuesday for the first day in five sessions as a reading on the service sector unexpectedly rose and officials from industrialized countries discussed the ongoing European crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 26.49 points, or 0.22%, to 12127.95.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: With UK markets closed for the Queen's Jubilee celebrations, the AUD has strengthened to be currently trading at USD0.9720 despite a lack of liquidity and very little direction during the offshore trading session.

Stocks tilted lower shortly after the open following a report that orders for manufactured goods fell in April, versus forecasts for orders to hold steady. Stocks then spent most of Monday's session in the red before reversing course late in the session. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 17.11 points, or 0.1%, to 12101.46.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: Market sentiment turned negative on Friday as poorer jobs data in the US and weaker Chinese PMI figures moved equity markets lower as the possibility of further stimuli from central banks helped prevent the AUD from falling further.

Another dismal U.S. jobs report triggered the year's biggest stock selloff and erased what was left of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's 2012 gains.

The Dow industrials slid, capping their biggest monthly decline in two years, after downbeat readings on the labor market and business activity. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 26.41 points, or 0.2%, to 12393.45. Stocks turned red minutes before the close Thursday in a choppy session that saw the Dow move 173.39 points from low to high.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: Europe's woes and weaker US data released overnight drives the Australian Dollar to yearly lows.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar has come under intense selling pressure overnight as a result of the ongoing Euro-zone debt crisis.

U.S. stocks slumped Wednesday as worries about the health of Spanish banks stoked concerns about the euro zone's debt crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 160.83 points, or 1.28%, to 12419.86, for its worst one-day percentage fall since April 10.