The Wall Street Journal writes, "Oil prices rose on Thursday in tandem with other commodities after sentiment was boosted by a modest improvement in economic data out of China. China's official purchasing managers index, a gauge of nationwide manufacturing activity, ticked up slightly last month to 49.8 from 49.7 in August, beating analysts' expectations. The price of copper and other base metals also strengthened following the release of the Chinese data. Markets were also tracking the developments in Syria, where Russia launched its first airstrikes on Wednesday. The intervention added to the uncertainty in the Middle East, the world's biggest oil producing region."
The New York Times writes, "The authorities in a southern Chinese region rocked by a series of deadly explosions this week said on Thursday that they were seeking a quarry worker whom they suspected had carried out the bombings, which killed at least seven people and injured more than 50. As officials sought to calm fears in Liucheng County, in the Guangxi region, a new explosion occurred there on Thursday morning, less than a day after 17 blasts left rubble, twisted rebar and death across the area. Reports in the state news media said that the bombs, contained in delivered parcels, appeared to have targeted government offices, a prison, shopping malls, a hospital and other places. One was so powerful that it caused a five-story building to partly collapse."
"World stocks and commodities got 2015's final leg off to a solid start on Thursdayafter a bruising third quarter, as surveys of Chinese factory activity proved sounder than many global investors had feared. The Purchasing Managers' Index data nevertheless showed China's vast manufacturing sector contracted again in September, suggesting the world's second-largest economy is still cooling more rapidly than expected a few months ago. Relief the figures were not worse sparked 0.5-0.7 percent gains for Chinese stocks.CSI300 ahead of a week-long holiday, though it was a near 2 percent jump for the Nikkei in Tokyo .N225 that set the pace as the whole of Asia made gains," Reuters reports.