10:30AM New York – U.S. stocks edge higher on earnings, stimulus package, and rally in global markets.

U.S. stocks in the morning trading edged higher after a rally in Asia and Europe. Earnings from Caterpillar, Honeywell, Microsfot, and Juniper Networks, and Harley Davidson dominated trading sentiment.

Investors took a comfort as leading lawmakers in Congress and Whitehouse acted to enact $150 billion package. Several fund managers expressed their lack of enthusiasm for the size of the package and effect of it on consumer spending.

Microsoft reported surge in revenue and earnings on rising sales of Xbox and Vista. The positive guidance for the quarter and the year lifted tech stocks in the morning.

Caterpillar (CAT: chart) reported fifth straight year of record sales and revenues and the fourth consecutive year of record profit.

For 2007, sales were $44.958 billion, up 8%, and earnings per share were $5.37, up 4% from 2006.

The company also reported record fourth-quarter sales and revenues of $12.144 billion, 10% higher than the fourth quarter of 2006, and earnings per share of $1.50, up 14% from a year ago.

Honeywell (HON: chart) today announced full-year 2007 sales increased 10% to $34.6 billion from $31.4 billion in 2006. Earnings per share were up 25% to $3.16 versus $2.52 in the prior year.

Fourth quarter sales were up 12% to $9.3 billion versus $8.3 billion in 2006. Earnings per share increased 26% to $0.91 versus $0.72 in the prior year fourth quarter. Cash flow from operations was up 16% to $1.4 billion versus $1.2 billion in the prior year, and free cash flow was up approximately 20% to $1.1 billion versus $0.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2006.



6:00AM New York, 6:00PM Hong Kong – Hong Kong stocks gain led the rally in the Asia on fiscal stimulus package in the U.S. Crude oil and metal prices rose.

Hong Kong stock indexes traded in positive territory after calm returned to the financial markets as the U.S. Congress and the Bush Administration agreed on the stimulus plan. Commodities, metals, and energy prices surged higher.

While investors pushed stocks higher in the wake of fiscal stimulus, lower interest rate in the U.S. is likely to weaken dollar and push up prices of metals and crude oil. The move by the U.S. could be inflationary in China, India, and most countries around the world.

In Hong Kong trading Hang Seng Index gained 6.7% or 1,583.10 to 25,122.37, declining 0.3% for the week, while the China Enterprises Index of H shares rose 8.4% or 1,082.55 at 14,015.75, falling 3.8% for the week.

Daily trading turnover on the main-board was HK$126.7 billion compared to HK$142.4 billion yesterday.

Xinhua News Agency reported today that Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said today at the first annual session of the municipal’s People Congress that the city aims to increase its Gross Domestic Product to Rmb 2 trillion by 2012.

Zheng added that the city will consolidate its position as a global financial and logistics center.

In 2007 Shanghai’s GDP was recorded at Rmb 1.2 trillion or Rmb 65,000 per capita.

The U.S. Congress and White House yesterday agreed on a fiscal economic stimulus package that will provide tax rebates of at least $600 per household with taxable income of less than $150,000. The rebate is likely to help consumer spending and help businesses to invest more in the business.