Premier Investments Limited

Wall Street closed mixed on Monday ahead of the Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave the near-zero interest rate unchanged, but may begin scaling back some economic stimulus. Traders moved into technology and health care shares amid concerns the energy, materials and financials were overbought.

An encouraging employment report sent the US stocks to a more than nine months high on Friday. The Labor Department released a report that the country's unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped to 9.4 per cent, its first decline in 15 months.

Yesterday the Australian market closed marginally higher as financial stocks surged. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 0.1%, or 3.2 points at 3348.4, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 0.1%, or 2.6 points, at 3297.3. Australian shares may receive support from the stronger copper and oil prices, despite the falls on Wall Street.

Yesterday, benefited from the US government's bailout plan on Citigroup, the Australian market benchmark S&P/ASX200 share index had its best day in more than 11 years, jumping 5.8%, or 198.3 points, to 3623.4, while the broader All Ordinaries index was up 5.5%, or 186.6 points, to 3575.4. Analysts say the market sentiment remains fragile as fundamental problems have not changed, although world governments are taking action to stimulate economy.