Asian stocks hold firm as Europe debt worries ease
The Associated Press, Tokyo | Fri, 06/18/2010 8:22 AM
Asian stock markets held firm in early trading Friday on receding worries over Europe's debt crisis after Spain - one of the region's heavily indebted nations - successfully sold bonds.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock index gained 6.02 points, or 0.1 percent, to 10,005.42.
South Korea's Kospi slipped 0.34 points to 1,707.58, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.4 percent at 4,565.10.
Investors took heart from Spain's bond offering Thursday, which drew solid demand. Traders have been concerned that heavily indebted European nations like Spain would have trouble raising money due to worries about defaults.
Spain's successful bond sales helped lift the euro to about $1.24 Thursday, the highest in about three weeks.
In New York Thursday, the Dow Jones industrial average edged up 24.71 points, or 0.2 percent, to 10,434.17 as easing worries over Europe's fiscal crisis offset disappointing U.S. economic data.
