Asian stocks head first weekly gain of year with Won
Bareksa • 14 Feb 2014
Floor traders monitor share prices during morning trading at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong (REUTERS/Bobby Yip)
U.S. retail sales fell in January by the most since June 2012
Bloomberg - Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its first weekly advance this year. The South Korean won strengthened, oil dropped from a four-month high and gold held above $1,300 an ounce.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index added 0.4 percent as of 9:07 a.m. in Tokyo, and is on track for a 1.9 percent increase this week. The Topix index climbed 0.6 percent and Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures were little changed after the gauge closed at the highest since Jan. 22.