US markets jumps as outlook for Greece debt swap brightens

09 Mar 2012 Evaluate

The US markets edged higher on Thursday, for a second session in a row as Greece moved closer to completing its debt restructuring and US Labor Department data showed jobless claims remained at a level consistent with an improving economy. The new jobless claims in the US rose at a seasonally adjusted level of 362,000 for the week ending March 3, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's revised claims of 354,000. The report comes a day ahead of a highly anticipated nonfarm-payrolls report for February. Also on Wednesday, payroll processor Automatic Data Processing stated private sector jobs rose 216,000 in February. Private-sector payrolls increased 216,000 on the month, led by the service-providing sector and small businesses, according to the February labor-market report from payrolls-processor Automatic Data Processing Inc.

Meanwhile, in Europe, Greece’s government got consent of about 85 percent of bondholders to swap their holdings of the country’s debt for new securities in the biggest restructuring in history. The nation’s finance ministry had set a deadline of Thursday for the debt swap, under which current bonds would be exchanged for new bonds worth 53.5% less than their old holdings. The Greek government was expected to get participation of 90% to avoid triggering collective-action clauses. A failed debt swap would have likely pushed Greece into a straight bond default, thwarting its next round of rescue funds from international creditors and causing a new wave of financial distress across the euro zone. Greece’s finance ministry is expected to post preliminary results early Friday morning in Greece.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher by 70.61 points, or 0.55 percent, at 12,907.90. The S&P 500 gain 13.28 points, or 0.98 percent, at 1,365.91, while the Nasdaq was up by 34.73 points, or 1.18 percent, at 2,970.42.

Indian ADRs closed in green on Thursday, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was up 0.71%, Infosys Technologies was up 0.66%, HDFC Bank was up 0.58%, ICICI Bank was up 0.57% and Tata Motors was up 0.41%.

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