The
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex closed the week on a
strong note as heavy buying action in key counters from refineries,
metals and banks helped it to make a hefty gain of 210 points (up
2.31%) at 9300.86.

Strong global signals amid expectations of more sops and stimulus plans
in the forthcoming interim budget led to strong buying in stocks
cutting across segments on Friday.

Mirroring investor interest at side counters, BSE Midcap and Smallcap
index rallied smartly and gained 1.43% and 1.05% respectively.

New York  - Wall Street stocks rose sharply Friday amid hopes that an economic stimulus package topping 800 billion dollars would soon be passed by the Senate, overshadowing the worst monthly jobs report in 35 years.

US senators were caught in a furious debate on the merits of the economic recovery plan. Democratic leaders held out hope that a compromise could be worked out by Friday night, as President Barack Obama warned that delay was "inexcusable and irresponsible."

Manila  - Philippine share prices climbed 2.66 per cent Friday, buoyed by overnight gains on Wall Street and hopes of a new massive stimulus package in the United States.

The 30-share composite index of the Philippine Stock Exchange gained 50.41 points to close at 1,942.48.

Turnover was up at 1.16 billion shares worth 2.67 billion pesos (56.80 million dollars).

Gainers led losers 66 to 23 while 40 issues were unchanged.

Tokyo  - Stocks bounced back Friday in Tokyo after the yen weakened against the dollar and the US market rose overnight because of its government's measures to help the financial sector.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average, which fell below 8,000 Thursday, rose 199.69 points in morning trading, or 2.51 per cent, to 8,149.34.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues was also up 11.07 points, or 1.41 per cent, at 797.48.

Markets continued to trade in the negative zone on account of heavy selling action seen across bluechip stocks.
 
The benchmark indices had opened positive but in not time fell into the red zone because of mixed signals from the Asian markets.

Some buying was seen in the metal sector but other indices were under selling pressure. Auto stocks seemed to be losing the most along with consumer durables and realty stocks.

BSE Midcap and Smallcap index fell 0.51% and 0.57% respectively.

For the week ended Jan 24, 2009, India’s benchmark wholesale price index (WPI), inflation declined to 5.07%, as against 5.64% a week ago mainly because of declining costs of fruit and vegetables and manufactured goods.

Manila - Philippine share prices rose 2.4 per cent Thursday on positive news that inflation slowed and most Asian stock markets were up.

The 30-share composite index of the Philippine Stock Exchange gained 44.52 points to close at 1,892.07.

More than 777.77 million shares worth 1.71 billion pesos (36.38 million dollars) were traded.

Gainers led losers 56 to 22 while 43 issues were unchanged.

Traders said market sentiment was boosted by the government's announcement that inflation in January declined to 7.1 per cent from December's 8 per cent.