Shares

The US Federal reserve kept rates on hold at 0% to 0.25% for a ninth successive meeting and continued its view that they will remain at current levels "for an extended period of time".

A solid pointer to today’s Consumer Price Index with a surprise easing in producer prices in the December quarter.

Global markets had their roughest week last week since October-November last year, but it could get even tougher this week if Ben Bernanke’s nomination for a second term as US Federal Reserve chairman fails.

Gold, copper and oil all had rough weeks as investors took profits after deciding sentiment was turning volatile and becoming uncertain.

US shares had their worst three-day slide in 10 months last week on fears the White House’s plan to curb bank risk-taking would cut profits.

Apart from the vote on Chairman Bernanke’s re-appointment, the week will be dominated in the US by the first meeting of the year of the Fed’s Open Markets Committee.

Strong consumer confidence figures, rising imports and confirmation of a solid end to 2009 for the motor industry (retailers, at least) have added to the belief that we will get another rise from the first Reserve Bank board first meeting of the year on February 2.

Led by continuing strong growth from China, and increasingly from other major economies, the World Bank sees global economic growth recovering to around 2.7% this year and 3.2% in 2011, after 2009 saw it contract by 2.2%.

If the World Bank’s forecasts of 9% GDP growth for China this year and next prove to be near the mark, then the country will move past Japan this year into second slot behind the US, and extend the lead in 2011.

China yesterday threw markets into confusion on the eve of the release of December quarter and 2009 annual economic figures with reports that banking regulators had ordered a halt to lending.

And helping boost consumer confidence would have been better results from their stockmarket investment and super, especially from Australia.

The chances of a fourth successive interest rate rise have increased after Australian consumers emerged from their annual Christmas-New Year break full of vim and vigour, with confidence hitting new highs, according to two major surveys.

Shares of corporate litigation funder, IMF (Australia) Ltd were driven down by nearly 15% yesterday in the wake of the decision by the federal government to reverse the so-called Sons of Gwalia High Court decision and remove the right of shareholders to greater priority in corporate collapses.

Shareholders rights trampled (again) or a justified restoration of the status quo?

A big week for China and Australia.

So much for all that ‘optimism" and confidence in the end of year/start of year stories in the various newspapers and on the web about the Australian stockmarket.

National Australia Bank has gazumped the AMP and looks like it has snatched AXA Asia Pacific’s Australian and New Zealand units for an extra $200 million on top of what the AMP put on the table this week in its final offer.

As we have just read, gas, specifically LNG, is the flavour of the day at the moment, and that situation looks like continuing in 2010.

Gold is the other hot commodity at the moment.