daytrade diaries... october 8 part 2

Half-time round-up:

A surprise fall in unemployment and increased optimism about the US earnings season helped stocks surge higher this morning.

At lunchtime the ASX 200 was up 70 points or 1.5% at 4766 after news that the jobless rate fell to 5.7% last month from 5.8% in August. Financials led the market higher, piling on 2.6% this morning, ahead of property trusts +1.9%, consumer discretionary +1.7% and mining +1.1%.

US futures are pointing to a strong session tonight after Alcoa's post-closing bell third-quarter earnings report trumped expectations. Dow futures were recently up 81 points and rising.

Asian markets advanced. The Nikkei was up 0.58% and Singapore +0.63%. The spot gold price kicked through $1,050 for the first time this morning and was recently at $1,049.80. Crude oil futures are also well ahead from this morning, trading at $70.18, up nearly 60 cents.