An unusual start to the week for...........>

EQUITIES: An unusual start to the week for equities, with Asian stocks trading

mixed overnight, and European stocks / U.S. futures reversing sharp early

losses.

- Asian stocks closed mixed, with Japan's NIKKEI up 21.06 pts or +0.09% at

22717.48 and the TOPIX up 3.18 pts or +0.2% at 1577.03. China's SHANGHAI closed

up 100.02 pts or +3.11% at 3314.149 and the HANG SENG ended 31.18 pts lower or

-0.12% at 25057.99

- European equities have recovered earlier losses, with the German Dax up 81.37

pts or +0.63% at 12999.8, FTSE 100 down 20.16 pts or -0.32% at 6270.19, CAC 40

up 2.22 pts or +0.04% at 5071.64 and Euro Stoxx 50 up 11.23 pts or +0.33% at

3376.83.

- U.S. futures are flat on the session, with the Dow Jones mini up 7 pts or

+0.03% at 26525, S&P 500 mini down 1.75 pts or -0.05% at 3212.25, NASDAQ mini

down 7.5 pts or -0.07% at 10614.5.