New York  - US stock indices continued their strong monthly showing on Thursday on some positive company earnings reports, the latest in a string of better-than-expected economic news in the midst of the US recession.

US electronics chain Best Buy Co, food producer ConAgra Foods Inc and drinks maker Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc led a 4-per-cent rally in consumer shares.

General Motors Corp surged 14 per cent after about 7,500 workers accepted the company's buyout offer, helping the US carmaking giant reduce labour costs.

Better than expected inflationary figures and continued buying action across bluechip stocks assisted Sensex to stay in the positive terrain.

Yesterday’s major performer realty hammered badly today while consumer goods, power, metal and auto stocks topped the gainers list.
 
BSE Midcap and Smallcap index surged 0.94% and 0.96% respectively.

For the week ended March 14, 2009, the country’s benchmark wholesale price index (WPI), inflation declined further to 0.27% as against 0.44% during the last week.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong stocks recovered the bullish sentiment seen earlier week after the benchmark Hang Seng index climbed 3.6 per cent on Thursday.

The Hang Seng broke the 14,000-point mark to close up 486.87 points at 14,108.98, an 11-week high.

Turnover was 64.05 billion Hong Kong dollars (8.2 billion dollars).

Analysts said investor confidence reflected wider upbeat sentiment in Asia about the US economy.

Sydney  - Australian stocks continued thei

Manila  - Philippine shares rose 2.51 per cent on Thursday as investors snapped up bargain stocks, buoyed by strong performances in Wall Street and other Asian markets.

The Philippine Stock Exchange's 30-share composite index gained 48.26 points to close at 1,988.28 from Wednesday's finish of 1,939.69.

A total of 1.18 million shares valued at 2.73 billion pesos (56.28 million dollars) were traded.

Gainers outpaced losers 84 to 21, with 34 issues unchanged.

Tokyo  - Tokyo stocks ended Thursday morning trading higher on a more positive outlook of the US economy.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 43.1 points, or 0.51 per cent, to 8,523.09.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 1.26 points, or 0.15 per cent, to 819.75.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 97.75-80 yen, up from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 97.71-74 yen.