BANGKOK (AP) - A positive jobs report that pushed the Dow to another record high this week and better-than-expected Chinese exports helped boost Asian stock markets today.
China's exports jumped 21.8 percent to $139.4 billion in February, beating economists' forecasts by a wide margin. While lower than 25 percent growth in January, the figure nonetheless provided evidence of strong demand for Chinese-made goods in the global marketplace.
Sentiment on Wall Street was boosted after the Labor Department reported that the number of Americans seeking unemployment aid fell to a seasonally adjusted 340,000 last week. Applications fell 7,000 in the week ended March 2, dropping the four-week average to its lowest level in five years.
Benchmark crude oil fell but remained above $91 per barrel. The dollar gained against the euro and the yen.
First Coast News