Apple shares jump leading Wall St higher
Wall Street rose, helped by a recovery in Apple shares after an initially lukewarm reception to its new devices.
Apple shares rose 3.1 per cent, the biggest rise since April, as investors decided they do like the brand's new products after all, particularly the new phone-based payments system, which has big earnings potential.
Yesterday the market thumbed its nose at the release of long-anticipated watches and iPhones, and sent the stock down 0.4 per cent.
Overnight, the tech-focused Nasdaq added 0.75 per cent to 4,587.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3 per cent to 17,069 and the S&P 500 rose 0.4 per cent to close at 1,996.
US interest rates on treasury bonds continued their two-week rise on increasing speculation data out this week will be strong enough to see the US Federal Reserve hike the official interest rate.
Across the Atlantic, markets were very dull.
London's FTSE 100 ended flat again at 6,830, the Eurostoxx 600 was also unmoved overnight closing at 345.
Some major firms in Scotland are voicing plans to exit the country if the independence vote succeeds.
Standard Life, the major insurer founded in Scotland, is the latest to say it is considering relocating parts of its business to England.
Futures trade showed the Australian share market was set for a positive start to trade; at 8:15am (AEST) the SPI 200 was 0.3 per cent higher at 5,595.
The Australian dollar has maintained yesterday's fall and was buying around 91.58 US cents.
The currency is expected to be moved by the official employment figures due out this morning, where the jobless rate is expected to fall from 6.4 to 6.3 per cent in August.
On commodity markets, spot gold was sold down to $US1,249 an ounce.
The iron ore price dropped another dollar, with the Chinese benchmark price now down to $US82.20 a tonne.
Oil prices eased, West Texas crude oil closed at $US91.60.
