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亲们，Financial Times NEWS 共有6篇，每隔一个绿色标题为1篇。希望大家也能分享一下。

①Europe up after Asia shows new confidence

By Andrew Bolger in London and Patrick McGee in Hong Kong

Thursday 08:15 GMT. European shares opened on a positive note after Asian markets signalled growing confidence that the crisis in Ukraine has eased, at least for now.

In early trading, London’s FTSE 100 quickly regained Wednesday’s loss of 0.7 per cent, while the Eurofirst 300 rose by 0.4 per cent after closing flat the previous day. Futures suggest the S&P 500 will open 0.4 per cent higher, after it closed flat but near record levels.

“Markets have taken on somewhat of a calmer tone in part due to hopes that discussions between the US and Russia will find some form of solution to the recent escalation of tensions in Ukraine,” wrote Mi tul Kotecha at Crédit Agricole.

But investors remain cautious ahead of the European Central Bank policy decision, due later on Thursday, and the closely watched US monthly jobs report on Friday.

Japan‟s Nikkei 225 average rose 1.6 per cent to its highest level since late January, outperforming other markets as the yen weakened 0.3 per cent to Y102.6 against the dollar, its lowest since February 22. The currency has fallen 1.4 per cent since Monday, when investors were seeking shelter after Russian troops occupied the Crimean peninsula.

Hong Kong‟s Hang Seng index rose 0.5 per cent, while South Korea‟s Kospi Composite was up 0.2 per cent.

Other assets perceived as havens were steady, reflecting the cautious mood. The price of gold was flat at $1,338.9 an ounce, while the 10-year Treasury yield fell slightly overnight to 2.7 per cent.

In New York, the S&P 500 also put in a steady performance on Wednesday, ending a fraction lower after touching a fresh intraday peak in spite of disappointing jobs and service sector data that prompted some economists to scale back their estimates for February‟s employment report.

ADP, a private US payroll processor, said that 139,000 jobs had been created in February – fewer than the markets had expected – and revised down its January figure from 175,000 to 127,000.

The US reports “revealed surprising February service sector weakness that boosted downside risks for Friday‟s US jobs report, and we have lowered our payroll estimate to 130,000 with substantial risk of a sub-100,000 figure,” said Michael Englund at Action Economics.

News in Asia was sparse, but in Australia fresh data suggested two key drivers of the economy were functioning far better than anticipated in January – crucial as the economy attempts to find new sources of growth as the mining boom cools.

Retail sales rose 1.2 per cent in January, a ninth consecutive month of gains and the best reading in 11 months, while Australia‟s trade surplus jumped to A$1.43bn, its highest since September 2011.

“The recent string of …feel-good‟ data, combined with the rec ent buoyant turnround in business confidence, could be the key to stimulating investment and employment this year, the weak spots of 2013,” said Annette Beacher, head of Asia-Pacific research at TD Securities.

“The evidence is building that domestic demand is picking up strongly. All the while, resource exports are ramping up,” added Paul Bloxham, chief economist at HSBC.

The Australian stock market pared earlier losses, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing little changed near its five-and-a-half-year high.

Ms Bea cher said the data were “a two-edged sword” for the equity market because they took away any chance of further stimulus from the Reserve Bank of Australia.

The Australian dollar rose 0.4 per cent and so far this week has been lifted 1.4 per cent, to US$0.902 from US$0.889.

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Composite rose 0.3 per cent, halting a two-day drop. China appears to be heading for its first onshore corporate bond default on Friday, after Shanghai-based solar cell maker Chaori Solar said earlier this week that it did not have the funds to make an annual interest payment.

The market impact is unclear, however. Some analysts have suggested it could cause a chain reaction, while others say it should promote reform and help investors better price risk.

①US feels the chill of more weak jobs data

By Robin Harding in Washington

Fears are rising of another weak payrolls report this Friday as the long, cold winter in parts of the country puts a freeze on the US economy.

Data from payrolls工资单processor ADP showed the creation of just 139,000 private sector jobs in February, and there was a nasty凶险的surprise from the services industry, where employment activity plunged to进入到its lowest level in nearly four years.