[R]4:30PM New York, 10:30PM Frankfurt, 4:00AM Mumbai[/R]

[R]Global Markets Indexes[/R]

In London FTSE 100 Index closed down 8.20 or 0.13% to 6,485.60, in Paris CAC 40 Index increased 14.69 or 0.26% to close at 5,673.76, and in Frankfurt DAX index declined 4.19 or 0.05% to close at 7,940.58. In Zurich trading SMI declined 16.45 or 0.19% to close at 8,741.74.

Dow Jones Industrial Average edged higher by 174.93 or 1.30% to a close of 13,619.86, S&P 500 increased 22.33 or 1.50% to 1,507.34, and Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 42.67 or 1.60% to a close of 2,709.03. In Toronto TSX Composite increased 148.57 or 1.09% to close at 13,728.19.

Of the 30 stocks in Dow Jones Industrial Average, 19 closed higher, 11 closed lower, and none was unchanged.

Disney led the decliners with a fall of 1.45% followed by losses in General Motors of 0.7%, in Coca Cola of 0.7%, and in Verizon Communication of 0.6%. AIG led the gainers with a rise of 4% followed by increases in Intel of 1.8%, in JP Morgan Chase of 1.2%, and American Express of 1.1%.

Of the stocks in S&P 500, 375 closed higher, 122 fell, and 3 were unchanged. Four stocks fell more than 3% and seventy six increased 3% or more.

Family Dollar led the decliners with a loss of 8.3% followed by losses in Target of 7.5%, in Macy’s 4.5%, in AES Corp of 2.4%, and in FPL of 2.2%. KB Home led the gainers with a rise of 16% followed by increases in Countrywide of 15%, in Lennar of 15%, and in Pulte Home of 13%.

In Tokyo Nikkei 225 Index added 265.20 or 1.70% to close at 15,874.08, in Hong Kong Hang Seng index closed up 213.47 or 0.73% to 29,558.92, in Australia ASX 200 closed higher by 92.80 or 1.43% to close 6,600.90.

In South Korea Kospi Index increased 14.97 or 0.77% to close at 1,953.20, Thailand closed up 11.85 or 1.42% to 845.19, and Indonesia edged higher 27.34 or 0.99% to 2,795.40. India added 57.80 or 0.29% to 19,795.87.

In Latin Markets Chile led the gainers with a rise of 2.17% followed by increases in Mexico of 1.61%, in Argentina of 1.36%, and in Brazil of 1.33%.

Bond Yields edged higher on 10-year U.S. bonds to 4.01% and 30-year bonds increased to 4.47%.

[R]Commodities, Metals, and Currencies[/R]

Crude oil increased $3.08 to close at $90.57 per barrel for a front month contract, up 44.00% for the year, natural gas increased 12 cents to $7.31 per mBtu, and gasoline futures decreased 8.75 cents to close at 230.45 cents per gallon.

Gold edged higher $3.40 in New York trading to close at $807.10 per ounce, silver closed down 16 cents to $14.63 per ounce, and copper for front month delivery increased 85 cents to 304.85 cents per pound and in London trading closed down $6.00 to $6,650.00.

Dollar edged lower against euro to $1.464 and higher to 111.27 yen.

[R]12:30PM New York – U.S. stocks edged higher after November same-store sales and weekly initial claims of unemployment report.[/R]

Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 63.22 to 13,507.71, Nasdaq added 18.02 to 2,684.38, and S&P 500 increased 8.05 to 1,493.25.

U.S. stocks scaled higher after retailers reported November same store sales and weekly claims of the initial claims of unemployment. The Bank of England raised interest rates but theEuropean Central Bank kept rates unchanged.

Wal-Mart Stores same store sales increased 1.5% in November, Macy’s same store sales surged, Costco sales soared 9%, and at Target sales increased 1.1%.

Limited same-store sales fell 7% in the month as most apparel retailers showed weakness in the month. Gap same-store sales were flat but Saks same stores sales surged 26% and at Nordstrom increased 8.7%.