Anxious about trade? Here's 10 cues to calm your nerves

In the US, markets rebounded on Monday as investors returned to markets after a sharp sell-off on Friday. In fact, the Dow Jones industrial index witnessed their best January in 14 years, though political volatility in Egypt kept investors on their toes.

And in economic data,

• The Chicago purchasing manager's index recorded a rise in manufacturing activity to 68.8 in January. December posted figures of 66.8. The gain was more than expected, boosted by strong orders and employment.
• Personal spending rose 0.7% in December, up from a 0.3% rise in November.
• Personal income meanwhile rose 0.4%, while savings dropped to USD 614 billion in December.

And in the day's economic data to watch out for:

• The ISM manufacturing index for January is expected to come in at around 57.5 versus the December figure of 57.
• Construction spending for December is expected to come at around 0.2%. Figures for November came at around 0.4%.

European shares finally snapped their three week losing streak yesterday, with energy and mining firms advancing. Positive outlook over corporate profits further boosted investor confidence, overshadowing worries about the unrest in Egypt. The dollar fell around 0.65% versus the euro amid speculations that more gains could be in store after a jump in Eurozone inflation bolstered the view that interest rates in the region could rise more quickly than in the US. US crude oil futures settled at their highest level in 27 months on fears that the civil unrest in Egypt could widen to other Middle East countries and disrupt oil shipments from the region. Brent oil also prices jumped above USD 101 a barrel for the first time since 2008. Meanwhile, gold fell to settle below USD 1,335 yesterday as equities steadied after last week's losses and US consumer spending data for December beat expectations And back home, the markets sank for the fourth consecutive day as the Nifty completed its worst month since 2008 to settle at 5500 before hovering dangerously around 5430 levels.Click here for a quick recap The Government of Singapore has now entered the fray for the Hero Honda stake sale and is attempting to acquire 7-8% stock holding in the company. In other corporate news--the Aditya Birla group has finally become the world's largest carbon black group -- all thanks to the acquisition of US-based Columbian chemicals. Here

first published: Feb 1, 2011 08:13 am