Market Update

Banks and Autos Drag European Stocks

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

ECB President Trichet in its annual report 2007 said that the ongoing fiancial market is likely to persist as banks remain weary of lending each other. Banks in Europe and the U.S. are still heavily leveraged and are likely to suffer widening losses from the current U.S. credit market crisis. European stock markets fell as oil traded near record level. Autos and financials fell. Renault, Nestle, and Casino Guichard reported quarterly sales.

More Banks Raise Capital, Oil Above $117

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

Bank of America earnings plunged 76% on mounting subprime and mortgage losses and it provisioned $6 billion to cover asset write downs. Citigroup plans to sell at least $5 billion of securities to bolster its captial base. National City, the tenth largest U.S. bank cut its dividend to 1 cent from 21 cents and reported a quarterly loss. The embattled bank also sold stock at 40% discount to raise $7 billion.

BoE

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

The Bank of England unveiled a plan to exchange

U.S. Stocks Struggle, National City Plunges

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

U.S. stocks fell after Bank of America earnings plunged 76% and reported a provision of $6 billion for loan losses. National City, Ohio based lender nearly eliminated its dividend and raised $7 billion at $5 per share, 40% from its stock price on Friday. Arch Coal jumped 5% after it reported surging earnings and revenues on rising coal prices. Sears Holdings fell after Bank of America declined to renew its credit line.

RBI Hike CRR by 0.5%

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

Stocks in India rallied in sympathy with regional gains. Sensex in Mumbai trading rose 1.6% to 16,739. The Reserve Bank of India ahead of its annual fiscal policy review announced 0.5% increase in cash reserve ratio in an effort to cool the inflation. Wholesale and consumer price inflation indexes have been rising rapidly and are now running near twice the target rate set by the government. Titagarh wagon, new issue, was the most active on BSE trading.

Bank of America Earnings Plunge 77%

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

Bank of America earnings in the first quarter declined 76% to $1.21 billion from $5.26 billion on revenue decline of 6% to $17.30 billion. The bank provisioned $6.01 billion compared to $4.78 billion a year ago on rising trading losses and growing non-performing assets. Nonperforming assets were $7.83 billion, or 0.90 percent, of total loans, leases and foreclosed properties at quarter-end compared to $5.95 billion, or 0.68%, at December 31, 2007 and $2.06 billion, or 0.29%, at the end of Q1.

Ping An, Refiners Lift HK Stocks

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

Ping An is reported to have scrapped its plan to sell stock in public offering and instead sell them a private placement through banks. Ping An rose 5%. Sinopec estimated first quarter profit is likely to fall 50% from a year ago on rising crude oil cost. Separately, China is expected to reimburse refiners taxes on crude oil import and significant losses from the price ceiling. Chinese refiners are required to sell petrol at a price fixed by the government. In addition COSCO jumped 7%.

Nikkei Index in Tokyo Rises

123jump.com Staff
21 Apr, 2008
New York City

Stocks in Tokyo edged higher on growing speculation that U.S. subprime loan losses may remain at current levels. Strong earnings from Caterpillar lifted stocks of Kubota and Komatsu. Honda led gainers in the Nikkei 225 index with a surge of 8% followed by a rise of 7% in NEC. Chip maker, NEC reported better than expected operating profit in 2007.

Financials Lift European Markets

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

European markets surged after a rally in the U.S. lifted financial stocks. Banks in Europe took advantage of recovering financial markets and offered bonds wirth 12 billion euro. The Spanish government passed fiscal stimulus package of 18 billion euros to bolster the falling economy on weak housing market. Every Spanish tax payers and pensioners will receive 400 euros this year and 8 billion euros are earmarked to distribute next year.

Shanghai Falls Again, HK Recovers

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

February exports rose 5.5% on rising exports to mainland China and Germany. Petro China fell below its offer price in Shanghai on the worries that refining margins will hurt earnings. In Hong Kong trading the benchmark Hang Seng Index declined 0.3% to 24,197.78, down 1.91% for the week, and the China Enterprises Index of H-shares, fell 1.7% to 12,675.43, declining 5.10% for the week. In Shanghai trading, CSI 300 Index dropped 3.4% to 3,272.50.

Nasdaq Rallies 2.6%, Dow Up 1.8%

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

Goolge earnings rise of 30% lifted trading sentiment. Tech stocks surged with Nasdaq climbing 2.6%. S&P 500 index and Dow Jones added 1.8%. Caterpillar earnings lifted export sensitive stocks. Citigroup reported a loss of $5 billion, second in a row and asset write-down of $13 billion. Lower than expected loss from the bank helped financial and brokerage stocks to rebound. European markets closed higher, led by Switzerland. Royal Bank of Scotland to raise 10 billion pounds.

Exporters, Shippers Rebound in Tokyo

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

Stocks in Japan edged higher on the optimism that global economy may not weaken further. Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% to 13,476.45, a 1.2% gain for the week, and the broader Topix Index increased 0.8% to 1,304.06. The yen weakened further to close at 102.36 yen to a dollar. Shipping lines, banks and export sensitive stocks close higher. The Bank of Japan in its region survey noted that eight of the nine regions are experiencing sluggish economic activities.

Public Deficit Widens, RBS to Raise

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

The ONS reported that March public sector budget deficit rose to

Google, Citi, Caterpillar Lift U.S. Stocks

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

U.S. stocks advance after solid earnings from Google, Caterpillar, Honeywell and BB&T. Citigroup reported a loss of $1.02 per share and wrote down $13 billion in assets and credit losses of $2 billion. Google surged 20% after its revenue rose 46% and earnings increased 30% in the first quarter. Honeywell and Caterpillar gain 6% and Citigroup soars 7%.

Citigroup Writes Down $13 B

123jump.com Staff
18 Apr, 2008
New York City

Citigroup, exactly after a deacade of mega merger put together between Citibank and Travelers reported its second quarterly loss in a row. Citi reported a loss of $1.02 per share compared to net income of $1.01 a year ago after revenue plunged 48% to $13.2 billion in the first quarter. Citigroup, sprawling conglomerate of international banking, insurance and investment broker employs 300,000 people. The bank has still not announced plans to reduce its payroll and high cut operating costs.