Markets afternoon briefing

View an online version of this email here.  All times are London time: Thursday Apr 30 2009 FT.com - Financial Markets News Banks and earnings fuel optimism on Wall St Apr 30 2009 13:59 US stocks looked set to continue rising above the three month high set during the previous session after another bullish analyst note on banks added a sheen to several better-than-expected earnings announcements Read more » Fresh gains add to markets rally Apr 30 2009 12:54 A powerful rebound in the world's stock markets gained fresh impetus in spite of poor economic data, deteriorating company results and the threat of a swine flu pandemic Read more » Europe's 2009 losses recouped Apr 30 2009 11:53 The FTSE Eurofirst 300 index recouped its entire losses for 2009 on Thursday morning, passing the 831.97 mark at which it ended last year Read more » Dollar weakens on improved risk demand Apr 30 2009 11:09 The US dollar weakened against other major global currencies after demand for riskier assets grew Read more » Taiwan stocks jump after China investment Apr 30 2009 10:24 Taiwanese equities had their best single-session performance in nearly 18 years on Thursday after mainland China's first investment in a Taiwan-listed company Read more » Banks make further gains in London Apr 30 2009 11:51 London equities were stronger on Thursday, once more led by a resurgent banking sector. Read more » Commodity markets extend recovery Apr 30 2009 12:13 Commodity markets extended their recovery with crude oil prices, base metals, grains and soft commodities all making gains Read more » Zhongwang raises $1.3bn in year's largest IPO Apr 30 2009 12:39 The Hong Kong listing of China Zhongwang, a maker of aluminium products, has raised $1.3bn, making it the world's biggest initial public offering this year Read more » ABOUT THIS EMAIL You have received this email because you have signed up for this briefing on FT.com Manage subscriptions | Unsubscribe | Change your email address Change whether you receive this email as HTML or plain text | Forward this email to a friend Privacy policy | Advertise | Contact © Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2009. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. The Financial Times Limited, registered in England and Wales number 227590. Registered office: Number One Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HL. VAT number GB 278 5371 21.