The Traderszone Network

 Japanese stocks climbed, with the Topix index and Nikkei 225 Stock Average each closing at the highest in more than six years, as investors bought shares to gain dividend rights and the yen fell. Toyota Motor (TM) rose 2%, pacing gains among Japanese exporters. Minebea added 5.1% after a report the ball-bearing maker’s operating profit will probably beat its forecast.

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Nike Inc, the world’s largest sportswear maker, reported a 15 percent jump in quarterly sales as the company reaps the benefits of heavy marketing investment during the soccer World Cup. Net income rose …

Biotechs are up more than 23% in 2014, but can the boom last?

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Memory chipmaker Micron Technology Inc (MU.O) posted fiscal fourth-quarter revenue above expectations as signs of stabilization in the personal computer industry supported demand …

One of the dominant themes of this bull market has been companies’ aggressive repurchasing of their own shares in response to cheap debt and modest economic growth. While there are signs the trend is peaking, it’s hard to see many better options for mature blue chip companies to pursue.

By Herbert Lash NEW YORK (Reuters) – The dollar hit a four-year high as the yield difference between U.S. and German bonds widened the most in nearly 15 years on Thursday, while global equity markets fell sharply as the stronger dollar pointed to potential earnings losses. The strong dollar slammed oil and other commodity prices, spurred the safe-haven buying of gold and sparked a sell-off on Wall Street that tumbled the benchmark S&P 500 index 1.6 percent in the biggest single-day loss since July 31. …

U.S. Treasuries yields fell on Thursday after a drop in U.S. stocks triggered safe-haven bids and reported comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi drove down rates in the euro zone, …