Stocks Edge Lower on Rising Oil

albena
30 Nov, -0001
New York City

Stocks declined at mid-day despite positive economic reports and solid GE earnings, as investors' focus moved onto the rise in oil. Federal Reserve reported industrial production rose 0.9% in June, the biggest jump in 14 months. Business inventories grew by 0.1% in May, according to the Commerce Department.

U.S. MARKET AVERAGES

Bonds were flat, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note at 4.18% versus late Thursday.

The networking space lost ground in early trading and has now come slightly off that level. The space dropped 1.2%. The semiconductor space fell by about 1%.

The housing space has been slightly advancing in the past hour and now points to modest gains. The HMO sector is edging slightly higher.

McDonald's climbed 4.5% after it announced it expects to earn 42 cents a share in the second quarter, including a repatriation tax charge of 9 cents a share, below views of 48 cents. Operating earnings, including all one-time charges, would be 53 cents.

Shares of General Electric declined 1.6% after it said its net income jumped 24% to 44 cents a share in the second quarter, matching forecasts.

Vaccine maker Chiron Corp. shed $1.40 to $35.87 after cutting its expected flu vaccine shipments.

Symbol Technology was down $1.35 to $11.11 as the company warned late Thursday that second-quarter revenue will miss forecasts.

Citigroup was down $0.29 to $46.21 after saying late Thursday that its president is resigning to run another public company.

Shares of Hewlett-Packard Co. rose thanks to reports that the company is set to announce a major restructuring plan next week.

ECONOMIC NEWS

The Producer Price Index, a measure of wholesale inflation, was unchanged for June. The data, released by the U.S. Labor Department, marked a 0.1% decline in core PPI, which excludes the volatile food and energy sectors.

Inventories at U.S. businesses rose 0.1% in May, to $1.3 billion, the Commerce Department reported Friday.

That rise outpaced the 0.1% drop in sales, the Commerce Department figures show.
The inventory-to-sales ratio was at 1.30 in May for the second month in a row. Economists were expecting inventories to rise 0.3%. Retail inventories rose 0.2% in May. Excluding motor vehicles, retail inventories climbed 0.6%. Inventories at manufacturing firms were unchanged in May for the second month in a row. Manufacturing sales jumped 1.8% after dropping 5.9% between March and April. Inventories at wholesalers grew 0.1%, while sales climbed 1.6%.

The Federal Reserve Bank's Empire State Manufacturing index rose to 23.9 in July from a revised 10.5 in June.

Manufacturing activity in the New York area continued to rebound in July, according to the New York Federal Reserve Bank. The bank's Empire State Manufacturing index climbed to 23.9 in July versus a revised 10.5 in June. The index continues to advance after hitting a two-year low of -11.1 in May. Readings over zero indicate expansion. Economists forecasted the index to remain flat at about 11.6 in July.

INTERNATIONAL MARKET NEWS

European markets finished mostly lower as oil giants like BP and Total slid as crude-oil dropped to a two-week low and traded below $59 a barrel, but oil-sensitive airlines gained. German’s DAX 30, which doesn’t have oil companies, added 0.3% with Siemens up 1.6% on the back of the strong report of General Electric. The French CAC 40 lost 0.1%, and London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.7%.

Major Asian benchmarks ended lower on falling crude-oil prices as forecasts show that Hurricane Emily won’t have a major impact on oil production in the U.S Gulf, on declining dollar and early gains in the tech sector which markets failed to hold throughout the day. Japan’s Nikkei ended down 0.1% as investors took profit ahead of a three-day holiday. South Korea’s market leader Samsung Electronics led the index downward 0.2% on reporting 46% decline. Crude-oil prices fell $2.21 to close at $57.80 a barrel on the NYME, and in after-hours trading it was $58.16. The dollar was down 0.4% against the yen at 111.86.

European markets turned higher at mid-day after early losses, reflecting gains in airlines shares which were boosted by declining crude-oil prices which sent oil giants such as BP and Total in the negative territory. Oil companies lost as oil tumbled to a two-week low and held below $59 a barrel. Oil-sensitive Air France gained 1.3% and British Airs rose 2.2%. German’s DAX 30 climbed 0.2%, France’s CAC 40 added 0.1%, and London’s FTSE 100 was down 0.1%.

ENERGY, METALS AND CURRENCIES MARKETS

Crude-oil futures climbed on investors’ concerns over possible hurricane dangers in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Light sweet crude for August delivery rose 85 cents to $58.65 a barrel in early trading on the NYME. Heating oil shares climbed by more than 2 cents to $1.6789 a gallon. London Brent futures for September rose 67 cents to 57.63. According to analysts the oil market would remain bullish over the longer term.

Oil futures rebounded after recent declines as Hurricane Emily progressed through the Gulf of Mexico while investors were digesting a report showing weaker Chinese energy demand for 2005. Light sweet crude for August delivery in NY added 50 cents to $58.30 a barrel. September contract of London Brent rose 51 cents to $57.47.

Gold was tightly traded in early European trading with the market trying to establish poise after falling to a six-week low as the strong dollar weighed. Gold futures traded from $419.20 to $419.90 bid per troy ounce. Dealers said sentiment was tending weaker with further fall seen probable. Silver was fairly steady at $6.96 to $6.99 per ounce.

The U.S. dollar gained versus the euro and pared a decline against the yen after a Fed. Reserve index of NY state manufacturing suddenly climbed. The dollar advanced against the euro to $1.2032. The greenback bought 112.26 yen.

EARNINGS AND CORPORATE NEWS

General Electric, technology, media and financial services company, reported 2Q profit rise of 44 cents a share vs. 36 cents a year ago on earnings growth in all of its 11 business segments. The company projected 2005 earnings in the range of $1.80 to $1.83 a share.

Sony Ericsson posted 2Q lower net income of 75 million euro, down from 89 million last-year same quarter on increased research and development costs.

First Data, electronic payment services provider, posted 2Q profit fall of 50 cents a share, down from 53 cents last year on integration and other charges. The company projected full-year earnings between $2.34 and $2.43 a share.

Prosperity Bancshares, financial holding company, reported 2Q net income rise of 44 cents a share compared with 39 cents a year earlier on higher net interest income. The company predicted 2005 earnings in the range of $1.74 to $1.78 a share.

Regions Financial, U.S. regional bank, posted 2Q profit growth of 53 cents a share vs. 33 cents a year ago helped by its merger with Union Planters.

MEDTOX Scientific, laboratory testing services provider, reported 2Q earnings rise of 13 cents a share vs. 9 cents for the comparable period last year.

National City, U.S. bank, reported 2Q profit growth of 97 cents a share compared with 83 cents a year ago on a rise in loans and deposits, exceeding expectations of 75 cents per share.

Traffix, premier interactive media company, posted 2Q earnings of 5 cents per share versus 4 cents a year ago.

W.W.Grainger, supplier of repair and service equipment, posted 2Q profit increase of 89 cents a share vs. 72 cents a year ago on growth in higher margin businesses. The quarterly results beat expectations of 82 cents per share.

Samsung Electronics reported 2Q profit decline in line with expectations. The company earned 1.69 trillion won vs. 3.13 billion last-year same quarter due to falling memory chip prices.

A.O.Smith, maker of electric motors and water heaters, posted 2Q earnings fall of 22 cents a share vs. 58 cents a year ago. Excluding restructuring charges earnings would be 48 cents a share, 2 cents ahead of expectations.

First Niagara Financial Group posted 2Q profit rise of 22 cents a share vs. 16 last year. The company sees its 2005 earnings between 83 and 84 cents a share.

OTHER NEWS

Royal Dutch Shell Group unveiled a $10 billion cost overrun and delays at an important Russian energy project. Shell announced costs in the second stage of the massive Sakhalin II natural-gas project may double to $20 billion and expects a delay of the project by half a year.

The Japanese government granted Teikoku Oil Co. the test-drilling rights for oil and gas in an area of the East China Sea, claimed both by China and Japan, after Teikoku had asked for Tokyo’s approval. Two of the three areas covering a total of 400 sq. km. border areas that China has already started developing for oil and gas. The decision is likely to cause political and economic tensions between the two countries.

South Korea’s trade surplus of $2.55 billion for June reached its highest peak since January but stands lower compared with the surplus for the comparable period last year when it was $3.11 billion as exports started losing steam in the fourth quarter of 2004.