Christine Gaylican

U.S. stocks fell Friday, but squeaked out an advance for the week, as fears of a credit downgrade of several euro-zone countries added to disappointing results from J.P. Morgan Chase.

The European and U.S. stock markets took positive turns last night, which could bode well to keep Australian stock markets afloat on Friday.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: Successful bond auctions in Italy and Spain, coupled with positive comments from ECB president Draghi improved market sentiment overnight.

U.S. stocks edged slightly higher late Thursday as the materials and industrial sectors pulled major indexes back into positive territory, erasing earlier losses that had followed three tepid readings on the state of the U.S. economy.

Residents at the coastal and island communities between Pardoo and Whim Creek, including the communities of Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland and Whim Creek in Western Australia are forewarned of the intensity of the coming Cyclone Heidi, which is expected to hit tonight.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The AUD is slightly firmer again this morning after a night dominated by a weakening EURO, which has reached new 16-month lows against the US Dollar.

From Morrison Securities Pty. Ltd.:U.S. stocks slipped as concerns over a weakening economy in Europe prompted investors to consolidate some of the market's recent gains.

It is not easy to penetrate a very discerning and astute Korean market. Korean consumer standards are quite high in all aspects especially for agriculture products.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The AUD has firmed ever so slightly in quiet overnight FX markets with little movement in most currency pairs.

U.S. stocks staged a modest advance Monday afternoon as investors weighed the unofficial kickoff of the U.S. earnings season, due with Alcoa's report after the closing bell, against a batch of unsettling headlines from Europe.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The AUD is slightly stronger this morning, currently trading at USD1.0240, despite concerns over the European debt crisis resurfacing once again.

With mounting issues concerning the world's largest economy, should the United States with an estimated 231 million voters this year consider an economist as its new president?

From: MORRISON SECURITIES PTY. LTD U.S. stocks fell Friday for a second straight day as worries about Europe overshadowed a drop in U.S. unemployment to its lowest level since February 2009, but the market finished the week with strong gains.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has opened up this morning slightly below 1.0200, after a better than expected jobs report in the US provided further proof the US economy is improving, although, the negative sentiment from the sovereign debt woes of Europe continue to overhang the financial markets.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Aussie Dollar unwound the last two days of gains, hitting a low of 1.0232 against the greenback overnight following falls in European markets and a mixed read on Wall Street.

From Morrison Securities Pty Ltd. U.S. stocks turned mostly higher Thursday, with the S&P 500 extending gains into a third day, as an improving labor market helped curtail concern about Europe's debt troubles.

Growth of Australia's services sector has remained subdued in December with business services posting headwinds ahead of the consumer-related services offered by local firms in December, according to the latest survery conducted by the country's Australian Industry Group and the Commonwealth Bank.

MORNING REPORT(8.00am AEDT) -- US Market close US factory orders rose by 1.8pct in November, driven by aircraft and transportation orders. New orders excluding transportation rose by a more modest 0.3pct. Durable goods orders rose by 3.7pct.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar continues to hold on to recent gains, trading around USD1.0350 this morning.

From Morrison Securities Pty. Ltd: U.S. stocks fluctuated between slim gains and declines Wednesday after rallying sharply in the previous session, as encouraging results from auto makers helped offset concerns about the Euro zone.

Australia's manufacturing sector churned a positive growth in December, according to the latest Australian Industry Group - PwC Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®).

Bell FX Currency Outlook: With the majority of offshore equity markets and commodity markets in the US closed for the New Year's holiday, the AUD is remaining steady around USD1.0200 level in thinly traded markets.

MORNING REPORT(8.00am AEDT)The euro zone purchasing managers index rose from 46.4 to 46.9 in December. The French index rose from 47.3 to 48.9 and the German index lifted from 47.9 to 48.4. In figures released on Sunday the official Chinese manufacturing index rose from 49.0 to 50.3 in December.

From Morrison Securities Pty Ltd.: The final Labor Department jobs report for 2011 will punctuate another holiday shortened week. In addition to the figures on joblessness some of the most closely watched indicators markets will mull over monthly sales figures from retailers for the key holiday-shopping month of December.

Expect the economies of China and India in a more languid pace in 2012, according to leading Yale University lecturer and global economist Dr. Stephen S. Roach.

As cases of the avian flu virus seems to worsen in southern China bordering Hong Kong, citizens and visitors are again urged to take precautionary measures against the spread of the disease.

US chain store sales posted firm growth in the latest week. The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales index rose by 4.3pct in the week to December 24 compared with a year earlier. For December as a whole, sales were up 3.5pct on a year ago.

The S&P 500 fell 1.3% on a forex related move, after EUR/USD traded down to an eleven-month low.Among the major averages, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.1% to 12151. The S&P pulled back 1.3% to 1249, below its 200-day moving average, while the NASDAQ dropped 1.1% to 2267.

From Morrison Securities Pty Ltd. U.S. stocks dropped Wednesday, sending the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index back into the red for 2011, as the euro sank to an 11-month low and investors looked ahead with concern to Italy's long-term debt auction Thursday.