Current Market Update:Epic Research Malaysia

Tokyo (Nikkei Average NIK, +1.22% ) up 1.3%
Hong Kong (Hang Seng Index HSI, -0.80% ) down 0.8%
Shanghai (Shanghai Composite Index SHCOMP, -1.88% ) down 1.9% (at break)
Sydney (S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +0.76% ) up 0.8%
Seoul (Kospi SEU, +0.45% ) up 0.4%
Mumbai (Sensex 1, +0.37% ) up 0.6%
Taipei (Taiex Y9999, +0.00% ) flat

Asian Market Update :Epic Research Malaysia

Asian share markets were mostly firmer on Tuesday and the euro clung to rare gains, relieved that European equities had weathered Greece's election outcome without much disruption.

Bad weather in the United States curbed activity on Wall Street in a busy week for earnings, while investors had reason for caution as the Federal Reserve holds its first policy meeting of the year.

Japan's Nikkei gained 1.4 per cent, while Australia's main index added 0.5 per cent. Moves were mostly modest and MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat on the day.



China went its own way and the Shanghai index slipped 0.5 per cent.

Forex Market Update:Epic Research Malaysia

The euro recorded its largest weekly decline against the dollar since September 2011 Friday.

The euro EURUSD, +0.00% traded in a tight range around $1.2400 against the greenback after falling to $1.1115, its lowest level since September 2003. The shared currency traded at $1.1361 late Thursday. The euro EURJPY, +0.00% also pulled back from ¥130.93, its lowest level against the Japanese yen since October 2013. The shared currency was worth ¥132.4500 in recent trade, EURJPY, +0.00% compared with ¥134.65 Thursday.

The aussie AUDUSD, +0.00% extended its declines from earlier in the week, falling to below 80 cents for the first time since July 2009. It was last trading at a session low of 79.13 cents, compared with about 80 cents Thursday.

Gasoline Market Update:Epic Research Malaysia

Elsewhere in energy trading, gasoline for February RBG5, +1.16% rose 2 cents, or 1.3%, to end at $1.3479 a gallon on Nymex, while February heating oil HOG5, +0.27% rose a penny, or 0.5%, to $1.6467 a gallon on Nymex. On the week, gasoline lost 0.8% and heating oil 1.1%.

Natural gas also for February delivery NGG15, +4.66% ended 15 cents higher, or 5.3%, at $2.9860 per million British thermal units.

Commodity Market Update:Epic Research Malaysia

New York-traded oil ended Friday at its lowest level since March 2009, amassing losses of more than 7% on the week.

Crude-oil futures were mixed, with London-traded Brent settling higher. Investors parsed news of the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah and marginal improvement in China’s manufacturing data.

Light, sweet crude futures for March delivery CLH5, -2.20% retreated 72 cents, or 1.6%, to settle at $45.59 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That was the lowest finish since March 11, 2009.