JAPAN

Crude was steady near a six-week trough below $75 a barrel, after weak U.S. economic data signaled the world's top oil-consuming nation will struggle to work through the most ample petroleum inventories in two decades.

The dollar edged up against the yen on Thursday with investors reluctant to chase the yen higher as they waited to see if the Bank of Japan or the government will take new steps to rein in the yen's rise. Earlier, rumours had circulated in the market that the BOJ would hold an emergency policy meeting at 2 p.m. (0500 GMT). That followed a media report that the central bank had started considering additional monetary easing steps.

The federal government has committed at least $8-billion (and counting) for the development of a nationwide high-speed intercity passenger railway system in almost three-dozen states. Rail advocates have long dreamed of an extensive railway grid that will provide clean, speedy, energy-efficient travel.

Mazda Motor Corp will recall 215,000 Mazda 3 and Mazda 5 vehicles sold in the United States because of the risk that they could lose power steering without warning.

Riding on increased auto sales and jewellery deamand, platinum and palladium have become a favourite investment option for several investors across the globe.

The yen rose on Wednesday, with traders citing yen-buying by Japanese players, while the Canadian dollar held gains made on news of a huge takeover bid by global miner BHP Billiton for Canada's Potash Corp.

The AUD has opened stronger this morning gaining overnight with news that China will take over Japan's place as the world's second largest economy.

U.S. home builders' optimism hit a near 1-1/2 year low in August and a regional manufacturing gauge grew more slowly than expected, implying the economic slowdown continued into the third quarter.

The technology-heavy Nasdaq rose on Monday as investors put aside worries about the economy to take advantage of beaten-down prices.

Gold rose to its highest level since early July on Monday, reprising its safe-haven properties, as gloomy Japanese economic data hit shares and stoked investor concern about the pace of global economic recovery.

Growth in Japan's economy slowed to a crawl in the second quarter and analysts see more weakness ahead, adding to policymakers' headaches as they grapple with deflation and a rise in the yen that threatens an export-reliant recovery.

A gauge of U.S. regional manufacturing rose in August after plunging the previous month, but it fell short of forecasts and contained some grim details, adding to evidence the U.S. recovery is losing momentum.

A gauge of U.S. regional manufacturing rose in August after plunging the previous month, but it fell short of forecasts and contained some grim details, adding to evidence the U.S. recovery is losing momentum.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday as weak growth in Japan added to worries about the strength of the global economy that have hit equity markets in recent days.

Japan's second-quarter GDP was less than China's before seasonal adjustments, government data showed on Monday, underscoring expectations that China will overtake Japan as the world's second-largest economy this year.

The yield on U.S. 30-year Treasury bonds fell to its lowest level in 16 months on Monday with investors favoring the long-end as inflation fears ebbed in the wake of recent weak economic data.

Stock index futures fell on Monday as weak growth in Japan added to worries about the strength of the global economy that have sunk equity markets in recent days.

The euro fell sharply versus Swiss franc on Monday and safe-haven U.S. and German government bond yields hit new lows after much weaker than expected growth numbers from Japan added to worries over a faltering global economic recovery.

Oil edged above $75 a barrel on Monday boosted by a weaker dollar, but concerns about faltering economic recovery in some big oil consuming nations capped gains. The economy of Japan expanded by a mere 0.1 percent in the second quarter. That followed a string of tepid U.S. indicators last week that helped oil prices fall by more than 6 percent, the biggest weekly drop since early July.

Gold rose to its strongest in more than a month on Monday as pessimism about the global economic recovery sparked buying from investors, but selling from jewelers could cap gains. Holdings in the world's largest bullion-backed ETF, SPDR Gold Trust, were unchanged, suggesting that some investors were happy to hold on to bullion after recent U.S. economic data pointed to weakness in the economy.

The euro recovered from near one-month lows against the dollar on Monday, aided by a bounce in equity markets, but rallies were hampered by sovereign sales and concerns about the euro zone periphery. The single currency initially headed lower for a sixth straight day before a slight recovery in European dealing.