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(RTTNews) -  Despite a weak close on Wall Street overnight, the Australian stock market is trading higher on Friday with investors indulging in selective buying in some blue chip stocks from materials, utilities, consumer staples and financials sections.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index is currently trading at 4,620, up 25.9 points or 0.6% over its previous close. The broader All Ordinaries index is up 20.1 points or 0.4% at 4,635.

On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 index had ended lower by 54.4 points or 1.2% at 4,594.1, while the All Ordinaries index closed at 4,614.9, down 51 points or 1.1%.

(RTTNews) -  The markets across Asia extended losses on Thursday as fresh concerns about debt crisis in Greece and possibility of S&P downgrading Greece overshadowed the positive closing on Wall Street in the previous session following Bernanke's statement that interest rates will be maintained at lower levels for an extended period. Lackluster trading on relatively less volume also impacted market sentiment.

In Japan, the benchmark Nikkei 225 Index fell 96.87 points, or 1.0%, to 10,102, while the broader Topix index of all First Section issues lost 4.28 points, or 0.5%, to 891.

(RTTNews) -  European stocks may open lower on Thursday, taking cues from lower U.S index futures and weakening oil prices amid a stronger dollar.

Crude oil edged down below $80 a barrel on Thursday, down about half a percent from its Friday's close, after an official weekly inventory report showed a surprise rise in U.S crude stocks.

Despite a positive close on Wall Street overnight, most Asian stocks fell on Thursday on speculation Standard & Poor's may downgrade Greece's credit rating. Mixed signals on the strength of the U.S economy also dampened sentiment to some extent, as official data released yesterday showed that new home sales in the United States unexpectedly declined to their lowest level in 47 years in January.

(RTTNews) -  After a positive start, the Indian market is now trading modestly lower on Thursday ahead of the F&O contracts expiry today. Investors are wary of building positions ahead of Friday's Union Budget.

Moving in a narrow range, the benchmark Sensex is currently at 16,237, down 19 points or 0.12% and the Nifty is trading at 4,850, down 0.19%. However, the market breadth on the BSE is slightly positive, with 1091 gainers versus 950 losers.