Financial Markets, Stocks & Commodities

Australian reports

• Aust markets: Aust stocks end higher
• Aust dollar report: $A retreats from three-month high
• Aust credit close: Australian bond prices recover

World reports

• World commodities: Commodities markets summary
• World markets: International markets roundup

Stocks to watch

RMD, TOL, WPL, BHP,

Fitch downgrades Italy, Spain

Ratings agency Fitch is downgrading the credit ratings of five countries that use the euro, including economic heavyweights Italy and Spain.

Finance chiefs reassure Europe on track

Leading finance chiefs have sought to reassure anxious global business leaders that Europe is on track to solve its crippling debt crisis.

US economy grows 2.8pc

The US economy grew at a 2.8 per cent annual rate in the final three months of last year.

Apple earnings drive Nasdaq higher

NEW YORK, Jan 27 AFP 11:35AM Blockbuster earnings from Apple drove a surge on the Nasdaq this week, but otherwise markets were dampened by mixed quarterly reports and dull economic data.

Overseas Stocks - Jan 28

AAP 09:42AM NEW YORK:Abbott Labs 55.02, Abercrombie 47.23, Adobe Systems 31.05, Advanced Micro 6.82, Advantest Corp 10.00, Aetna Inc 43.43, AFLAC Inc 49.04, AK Steel 9.91, Alcatel-Lucent 1.83,...

Oil prices drift amid economic uncertainty

NEW YORK, Jan 27 AFP 09:25AM World oil prices ended mixed Friday as traders weighed disappointing US economic growth data, Europe's debt crisis and the simmering tensions with Iran over its alleged nuclear wea...