Gold rose in Hong Kong, leveled off in London, and traded rangebound through the NYMEX and Globex sessions on Friday, although it held above $900, finishing at $901.30/oz., up $3.30. For the week, gold added 3.5%.

A budget airliner made a profit. I wonder how old I will be the next time I write this?

Bowing to peer pressure from Eurocentric readers, today’s comment focuses squarely on opportunities in European indexes, or should that be ‘bourses.’

At a time when Europe and the United States are shedding jobs in the financial sector, one financial center is only adding to its ranks: Hong Kong.

In the energy market Tuesday, crude for June delivery resumed its rise after a one-day breather, closing at $125.80/barrel, up $1.57. June reformulated gasoline gained 4 cents, to $3.20/gallon.

Stocks dipped lower today (Tuesday), as investor confidence about first quarter earnings remains low.

Yesterday, UK rates came down a quarter to 5%. ECB rates held steady as expected at 4% and all of us who continue to feel poorer can be grateful that we’re not paying a mortgage in Iceland.

With US stocks futures pointing higher and a rally around banks in London trading at the beginning of the new quarter, The Wall Street Journal sees light at the end of the credit-crisis tunnel.

“Stock futures rose as investors opened the books on a new quarter by betting that the latest write-downs from UBS and Deutsche Bank have put most of the worst damage to banks and brokers from the credit crisis out in the open,” says the WSJ.