OREANDA-NEWS. March 30, 2012. The US indices mostly fell on Thursday. S&P 500 Index lost 0.16% while Russell was down by 0.27% with Financials (-1.23%) as the laggards. Put/call ratio was at 1.49 and 90-110% skew was at 9.67. Advance/Decline ratio was at 208/283.

Initial jobless claims fell to 359K vs consensus forecast of 350K.

Asian indices were mixed on Friday. Hang Seng lost 0.57%, Japanese Nikkei was down by 0.56%. S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.06%. Chinese indices added on average 0.2%.

Chicago Fed Manufacturing Index, University of Michigan Consumer confidence Index will be in focus in the US today.

Earnings season will go on in the US with 2 S&P 500 companies and 2 DJ Stoxx 600 companies to report.