A Quick Glance at News

v German Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers yesterday she can accept temporary ECB bond buying, according to a member of her party. German legislator Norbert Barthle said in Berlin that Merkel spoke in a closed-door meeting of Christian Democratic Union lawmakers.

v Oil rose and the euro approached a two-month high as investors awaited details of a European Central Bank plan to stem the region’s debt crisis. Australia’s dollar strengthened while Asian shares pared early gains.

v Asia stocks traded mixed in a choppy session Thursday as investors waited to see whether the European Central Bank would act to support the euro zone at its meeting due later in the day.

v Economists are split over whether ECB policy makers will lower the benchmark interest rate to a new record low, with 30 of 58 in a Bloomberg News survey predicting a quarter-point cut to 0.5 percent and 28 forecasting no change.

v The jobs report “certainly doesn’t justify further near- term easing,” by the Reserve Bank of Australia, Annette Beacher, head of Asia-Pacific research at TD Securities in Singapore, wrote in a note today.

v French unemployment rose to a 13-year high in the second quarter as companies cut staff to cope with a stalled economy, adding pressure on President Francois Hollande to fulfil a campaign pledge to revive growth.

v Chinese stocks rose for the first time in three days on speculation policy makers will take more steps to stimulate the economy after a government agency approved subway plans for 18 cities.

v European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi faces the most decisive moment of his presidency on Thursday when he tries to heal divisions among policymakers and deliver on his promise to save the euro.

v Gold tracked the euro higher on Thursday, staying within sight of its highest in nearly six months ahead of a meeting of the European Central Bank later inthe day that could bring the announcement of new policies tohelp contain the euro zone's debt crisis.

v Amazon.com Inc is expected to launch a new tablet on Thursday, the latest salvo in a battle for control of mobile access to the Internet.

v Nokia Oyj (NOK) shares tumbled the most in almost three months after the introduction of two Lumia smartphones with Microsoft Corp.’s (MSFT) new Windows Phone software failed to impress investors.