Business news for Mon, 24 Dec 2007 & with words advanced+index. 4 news.

ASIAN stocks rose for a second day, led by electronics makers, after consumer spending increased more than forecast in the United States, the region's biggest export market. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, maker of iPods for Apple Inc, and Samsung Electronics Co climbed to the highest in more than a week. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index advanced the most in three weeks last Friday after the report on November spending eased concern about recession in the world's biggest economy. "US shares showed firm gains, and we're seeing the influence in shares today (yesterday)," said Kim Jae Dong, who oversees the equivalent of US$8.6 billion at Korea Investment Trust Management Co in Seoul. BHP Billiton Ltd led an increase among miners after metals prices climbed, and a UK regulator set a deadline for a formal takeover bid for Rio Tinto Group. The MSCI Asia Pacific, excluding Japan Index, rose two percent to 524.1 as of 3:38pm in Hong Kong, with all 10 industry groups climbing.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks finished higher in Monday's shortened trading session, aided by a flurry of M&A deals that included a $2.7 billion sale by Alcoa Inc. of its packaging and consumer businesses. In preliminary closing figures, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 106 points to 13,555, the S&P 500 Index gained 12 points to end at 1,497 and the Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 22 points to 2,713, with shares of Apple Inc. approaching the $200-a share mark. Apple's stock ended up 2.8% at $198.80.

DOMESTIC stocks climbed and pushed the Shanghai index to a nine-day high in the morning session today, buoyed by rising blue chips across the board. The Shanghai Composite Index, which tracks yuan-denominated A shares and hard-currency B shares, jumped 1.37 percent, or 69.87 points, to 5,171.65 at 11:30am today. The Shanghai index opened at 5,132.91 at 9:30am today, 31.13 points higher than its close at 5,101.78 at 3pm last Friday. Gains in the Shanghai market outnumbered losses 717 to 48 and 81 were unchanged. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which covers the smaller mainland stock market, gained 2.09 percent, or 28.72 points, to 1,404.61. Copper stocks rose thanks to rising copper prices. Tongling Nonferrous Metals, China's biggest copper producer, advanced 1.97 percent, or 0.48 yuan (6 US cents), to 24.82 yuan. Jiangxi Copper Co, the second-biggest, added 3.32 percent, or 1.67 yuan, to 51.99 yuan. Yunnan Copper Industry Co, the third-largest, climbed 2.94 percent, or 1.15

Asian markets advanced, with the MSCI regional index rising 2%, as an upbeat report on US consumer spending lifted exporters and manufacturers that are dependent on American demand