Intraday Stock Trading

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.4% to 140.08 with about three stock gaining for each that dropped. Further, Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 0.97% to 9,945.24 as robust U.S. earnings and higher commodity prices relieved concern over global economic growth.

Equity markets are likely to open positive as most of the Asian stock rose, pushing the regional benchmark index to the peak level in almost four months as the earnings reports from the U.S. companies came at better than analyst expectation, thus cooling concern of slowdown in global economic growth.

The Shanghai Composite is up by 0.85% to 2,911.51 and Hang Seng Index gained 0.36% to 23,720.81. Separately, Seoul Composite and Jakarta Composite are trading up by 1.27% and 0.48%, respectively. In the domestic arena, the markets are likely to follow the rout of global counterpart and trade range-bound with upside movement. Metal, Oil&Gas and IT pivotals will be in focus today.

Further, Merck (MRK 35.95, +0.18) also garnered some gains on its own upside earnings surprise. Fellow blue chip Microsoft (MSFT 25.92, -0.79) pared some of their strength even though company's bottom line was better than expected, but narrower margins and reduced target prices among analysts fuelled some concern.