STOCKS NEWS ASIA-Shares may gain on US data; resources seen up
06 Maret 2008 6:15:48 (GMT+07:00) Provided by: HYPERLINK "reutersnews://reuters/local?cache=1440&id=%7b12A0E34A-17BB-4BC0-89D7-AF2FF1 5348C0%7d"Reuters News SYDNEY, March 6 (Reuters) - Asian shares may rise on Thursday, with data showing a smaller-than-expected U.S. services sector contraction likely to soothe concerns about a recession in the world's biggest economy. Commodity firms such as global miner BHP Billiton <BHP.N> and Sinopec <0386.HK> <SNP.N> should get a boost after oil <CLc1> and gold <XAU=> surged to record peaks. But disappointment over U.S. bond insurer Ambac Financial Group Inc's <ABK.N> capital raising plan may weigh on the financials [nN05631126]. Asian stocks listed on Wall Street <.BKAS> added 1.2 percent, while the MSCI's measure of Asia Pacific stocks excluding Japan <.MSCIAPJ> edged down 0.1 percent overnight. U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday after data on the U.S. services sector, which makes up about 80 percent of the economy, shrank less than expected, while soaring commodity prices lifted energy and mining companies' shares No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.4/1312 - Release Date: 04/03/2008 21:46
