Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 20-03-2012.

Resistance 3:1440 (May’2008 high)

Resistance 2:1408/10 (Mar 19 high, high of June’2008)

Resistance 1:1397 (intraday high)

Current price: 1395,50

Support 1:1391 (session low)

Support 2:1384 (Mar 14 low)

Support 3:1377 (Feb 29 and Mar 1-2 highs)

U.S. stock futures fell as commodities slumped on concern about a Chinese slowdown after BHP Billiton Ltd. said the nation’s steel production is slowing.

Global stocks:

Hang Seng 20,888.24 -227.05 -1.08%

Shanghai Composite 2,376.84 -33.35 -1.38%

FTSE  5,890 -71.11 -1.19%

CAC  3,529.53 -48.35 -1.35%

DAX 7,052.53 -101.69 -1.42%

Crude oil $106.85 (-1.2%).

Gold $1650.00 (-1,0%).

Asian stocks fell after China raised fuel prices, sparking concern growth in the world’s fastest-growing major economy may slow, and a Federal Reserve official said the U.S. rebound still faces risks.

Nikkei 225 Closed

Hang Seng 20,876.75 -238.54 -1.13%

S&P/ASX 200 4,275.02 -15.78 -0.37%

Shanghai Composite 2,376.84 -33.35 -1.38%

Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd., China’s second- biggest electronics retailer, dropped 4.5 percent.

Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. fell 2 percent after a director of the world’s No. 1 developer was arrested as part of a bribery investigation.

Transurban Group, an Australian operator of toll roads, dropped 2.6 percent after its largest shareholder sold a 7.9 percent stake at a discount.

00:30 Australia RBA Meeting's Minutes

03:05 Australia RBA Assist Gov Edey Speaks

The dollar rose against most major peers after BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s largest mining company, said China’s steel production is slowing, damping demand for currencies linked to Asian growth. The dollar was still 0.2 percent from a one-week low against the euro on speculation Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will repeat that a slow U.S. recovery warrants near-zero interest rates.

Australia’s dollar weakened as Rio Tinto Plc  also signaled that China’s near-term growth is waning, raising concern that commodity prices will fall. Reserve Bank of Australia policy makers noted that while downside risks “could still materialize, this seemed somewhat less likely than a few months ago,” according to the minutes of their March 6 meeting released today. “So long as inflation remained well contained, there would be ample scope for the bank to ease policy in such a scenario.”

Governor Glenn Stevens held the overnight cash rate at 4.25 percent for a second meeting this month.

New Zealand’s currency slid for the first time in four days as Asian stocks were poised for their biggest drop in more than a week.

GBP/USD: during the Asian session the pair receded from $1.5900.

USD/JPY: during the Asian session the pair traded in range Y83.35-Y83.50.

In the UK, at 0930GMT, inflation data is due. The January 2011 VAT hike clearly had a sharp upward effect on inflation that month, with

National Statistics' assessment that it added 0.76 percentage point to the 12 month CPI rate, and there is evidence some retailers staggered  some of the rise into February. US data starts at 1145GMT with the weekly ICSC-Goldman Store Sales data, which is followed at 1230GMT by Housing Starts and at 1255GMT by the weekly Johnson Redbook Chain Store Sales.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 10,141.99 +12.16 +0.12%

Hang Seng 21,115.29 -202.56 -0.95%

S&P/ASX 200 4,290.8 +14.64 +0.34%

Shanghai Composite 2,410.18 +5.45 +0.23%   

FTSE 100 5,961.11 -4.47 -0.07%

CAC 40 3,577.88 -16.95 -0.47%

DAX 7,154.22 -3.60 -0.05%

Dow 13,239.13 +6.51 +0.05%

Nasdaq 3,078.32 +23.06 +0.75%

S&P 500 1,409.75 +5.58 +0.40%