Dun and Bradstreet’s national business expectations survey shows employment
expectations for the June quarter have jumped to 5 index points, up from a flat
reading for March. The June quarter result, 31 percentage points higher than a
year ago, is the strongest rebound in the 22-year history of
Capital investment expectations for the June quarter have risen to the highest
level in seven years and employment expectations are back in the black, a
business survey shows. Twelve per cent of firms surveyed expect to increase
capital investment, while just two per cent are planning to
AAP Capital investment expectations for the June quarter have risen to the
highest level in seven years and employment expectations are back in the black,
a business survey shows. In a further sign of business confidence about the
year ahead, a Dun & Bradstreet survey of business
At 7am AEDT, the dollar was trading at $US0.8685/92, up 0.21 per cent from
Friday's close of $US0.8668/72. From 5pm AEDT on Friday, the local unit traded
between $US0.8720 and $US0.8580, its lowest level since October 2, 2009. Wall
Street ended slightly higher as a rebound in
The Australian dollar opened higher this morning as a late rally on Wall Street
on Friday restored some confidence and lifted demand for high yielding assets
such as the local currency. At 7am, the Australian dollar was trading at 86.85
US cents, up 0.21 per cent from Friday's close of
AAP The Australian dollar opened higher on Monday as a late rally on Wall
Street on Friday restored some confidence and lifted demand for high yielding
assets such as the local currency. At 0700 AEDT, the Australian dollar was
trading at $US0.8685/92, up 0.21 per cent from Friday's
The Labor Department report, seen as one of the best indicators of economic
momentum , puzzled analysts since the two surveys used offered a vastly
different picture of the labour market . The report released on Friday showed
the jobless rate eased to 9.7 per cent from 10.0 per cent in
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 4.31 points (0.04 per cent) to 10,292.54
in early trades, following two consecutive days of strong gains. The tech-rich
Nasdaq composite slid 0.92 point (0.04 per cent) to 2189.14 and the Standard
& Poor's 500 index retreated 2.13 points (0.19 per
* Kiwi a touch firmer as risk appetite picks up WELLINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) -
The New Zealand dollar was a touch firmer but off its highs on Wednesday as
renewed concerns about China's bank lending policies offset a boost from
increased risk appetite on an improved global economic
* NZ dollar NZD=D4 around $0.7113/23, compared with $0.7050/60 in late trade on
Tuesday. It had briefly fallen below $0.7000 on Monday for the first time since
late December on risk aversion . * U.S. dollar falls as Wall Street shares
advance and commodities gain, luring investors back into
