Asia Edges Lower

Ivaylo
16 Jan, 2007
New York City

Most Asian markets ended slightly lower Tuesday as banks across the region dipped after advancing strongly in the earlier sessions, while gains in technology stocks helped counter banking sector losses. In Japan, stocks declined slightly as profit-taking pressured such stocks as car makers and banks. Shares in HK ended slightly lower after gains in the last two sessions. In South Korea, Korean Air led decliners, but the stock market ended only marginally lower. Australia ended flat.

[R]7:30 AM Asian shares ended lower on Tuesday on weak banks, car-makers.[/R]
Asian markets closed lower on Tuesday. The Nikkei Index in Japan ended the day 0.04% lower at 17,202. Toyota slipped 0.3% and Nissan shed 1.4%. Mizuho Financial Group edged 0.4% lower and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group lost 0.8%.

In Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index lost 0.2% to 20,028. PetroChina shed 1.4%, as some analysts downgraded their forecasts and ratings on the stock after the company reported 2006 operating data Monday. Chong Hing Bank, one of Hong Kong smallest lenders, dipped 8.9% after denying Tuesday that it was in deal talks.

South Korean Kospi Index lost 0.1% to 1,390. Korean Air declined 4.6% in heavy volume on hopes it may have to borrow between 800 billion won ($856.7 million) and one trillion won if it buys 28.4% of S-Oil. LG.Philips LCD closed up 1% after some volatility ahead of the fourth quarter results. Hyundai Motor finished 2% higher on hopes for an early settlement of a dispute with its labor union over bonus payments.

In Australia, the stock market finished flat, with afternoon weakness in resources and banks. The biggest miner in the world, BHP, fell 1.5%, with selling gaining pace in the final session. Rival Rio Tinto shed 1.4%. ANZ Bank lost 0.7% and National Australia Bank slipped 0.2%.

[R]6:30AM European shares were lower Tuesday on weak miners, oil producers.[/R]
European markets traded lower on Tuesday. In early trade, FTSE 100 in London shed 0.3% to 6,246.5, Frankfurt Xetra Dax was fractionally lower at 6,730.33, the CAC 40 in Paris was unchanged at 5,630.32.

Decliners

Xstrata shed 3% and Antofagasta lost 2.6%. Norsk Hydro, the Norwegian oil and aluminium producer, shed 1.1%. SGS, the Swiss raw materials quality controller, fell 1.1% in spite of reporting a better-than-expected 19% rise in 2006 net profit. UBS, the Swiss investment bank, downgraded the shares from buy to neutral. Oil and gas producers fell in line with crude prices. The benchmark US Nymex front month contract fell below $53 a barrel in early trade on Tuesday. Norway Statoil fell 1.5 %, while Spain’s Repsol eased 0.5%.

Advancers

Safran, aerospace group, gained 4.1% after reporting unexpectedly strong full-year sales and targeting strong growth in 2007. Beverage makers advanced after a number of upgrades in the sector. Heineken, brewer, gained 2.5% after Morgan Stanley raised its rating from equal weight to overweight. Inbev, the Belgian beermaker, rose 1.7% after Sanford C Bernstein raised its price target.

Oil and commodities

Oil prices hovered above $53 a barrel on Tuesday, under pressure from warm weather and ample supplies. In early trading in London on Tuesday, U.S. crude was 18 cents higher at $53.17, while Brent futures gained 39 cents to $53.51.

Gold declined in London on speculation of increased investor sales because of declines in commodities. Gold for immediate delivery dropped 90 cents to $625.80 an ounce while copper gained on, erasing an earlier decline. Copper for delivery in three months on the LME gained $10, or 0.2%, to $5,640 a metric ton.

Currencies

The dollar traded at 120.48 yen in early trade, from 120.50 yen late yesterday, after reaching 120.74 yen, the strongest since Dec. 12, 2005. Against the euro, it was at $1.2898, from $1.2892 on Monday. The British pound traded at $1.9648, up from $1.9643.