Vodafone, E.On Weigh Europe Down

Elena
05 Jul, 2007
New York City

European stock markets finished in the red on Thursday, pressured by rate concerns and weakness in the shares of utilities and phone companies. The Bank of England raised its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to 5.75%, in line with expectations. Vodafone fell 2.4% amid press reports that it isn''t in line to supply the iPhone in Europe. Among regional benchmarks, the German DAX slipped 1.1%, the French CAC-40 lost 0.6%, and the U.K.''s FTSE 100 declined 0.6%.

[R]1:00PM NY, 5:00 PM Frankfurt European markets lost ground amid weakness in utility and telecom sectors.[/R]

European stock markets finished in the red on Thursday, pressured by rate concerns and weakness in the shares of utilities and phone companies. Among regional benchmarks, the German DAX slipped 1.1% at 7,987.13, the French CAC-40 lost 0.6% at 6,059.53, and the U.K.''s FTSE 100 declined 0.6% at 6,635.20.

The Bank of England raised its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point, to 5.75%, in line with expectations. European Central Bank left rates unchanged, but its president gave clues that the bank may raise rates later this year. Rate-sensitive insurance and financial-services companies led decliners, along with telecoms.

In Frankfurt insurance giant Allianz fell 1.8%, while Dutch property firm Rodamco Europe dropped 2.4%. E.ON AG, the world''s largest utility by sales dropped 2.4%, followed by Spanish Iberdrola, down 2.3%.

In Paris supermarket group Carrefour rose 2.8% on Merril Lynch’s upgrade. Meanwhile, shares of Schneider Electric declined 2.3% after J.P. Morgan downgraded its stock, citing a new model that cuts earnings-per-share estimates for the electricity control maker. Among other movers, French automaker Renault dropped 2.4%, as company’s sales in the first six months of 2007 slipped 3.8%. Shares of Airbus parent European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co edged 0.2% higher.

In London mobile-phone giant Vodafone fell 2.4% amid press reports that it isn''t in line to supply the iPhone in Europe. BT Group Plc, the U.K.''s largest phone company, dropped 2.4%. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc dropped as crude oil declined. Oil giant Shell fell 1%, followed by BP which lost 0.9%. On the side of the gainers, miner BHP Billiton Ltd gained 1.7% and Xstrata, copper producer, added 2%. Among brokers, British banking giant Lloyds TSB added 1.2% after Citigroup Inc. raised its recommendation for the stock.

[R]11:30AM Market averages traded mixed on rate worries. GM lost 3.4% on weak sales.[/R]

U.S. market averages traded mixed, as renewed concerns over rising bond yields offset the positive sentiment generated by new takeover activity and strength in the U.S. service sector. Hilton Hotels ((HLT)) surged 26% and Huntsman ((HUN)) jumped 12%. The ISM''''s index of service sector activity in June rose to 60.7%, indicating that non-manufacturing industries expanded faster than expected.

In world news, Bank Austria announced on Thursday that it signed an agreement to buy 95% of Ukrainian bank Ukrsotsbank from an investor group represented by Interpipe Group for about $2.2 billion. UniCredit Group’s subsidiaries HVB Ukraine and UniCredit Bank represent the bank in Ukraine, where Bank Austria will strengthen its presence even more through the acquisition deal. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2007 and will be financed from Bank Austria''s cash resources.

By sector, oil service, broker/dealers and banks declined, while real estate investment trusts, telecoms and computer technology advanced. In late morning trading, the Dow fell 23.33, or 0.17%, to 13,553.97. Dow member General Motors ((GM)) fell 3.4% after it was downgraded by a Bear Stearns after the automaker posted a 21.3% drop in June sales.

The Standard & Poor''s 500 index was down 1.46, or 0.10%, at 1,523.41, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 1.55, or 0.06%, to 2,646.50. The tech-heavy Nasdaq was boosted in part by Apple ((AAPL)), up 2.7%.


[R]The ISM’s non-manufacturing index gained 60.7%.[/R]

The Institute for Supply Management released its report on business activity in the service sector in the month of June on Thursday, showing that the pace of growth in the sector unexpectedly accelerated compared to the previous month. The report showed that the index of activity in the sector rose to 60.7 in June from 59.7 in May, with a reading above 50 indicating growth in the sector. Economists had been expecting the index to slip to a reading of 58.0. The unexpected acceleration in the pace of growth came in spite of a modest slowdown in the pace of new orders growth, as the new orders index edged down to 56.9 in June from 57.4 in the previous month.

At the same time, the report showed a slightly faster rate of employment expansion, with the employment index rising to 55.0 in June from 54.9 in May. The report also showed a slowdown in the pace of price growth, as the prices index fell to 65.5 in June from 66.4 in May. Earlier this week, the ISM said that its index of activity in the manufacturing sector rose to 56.0 in June from 55.0 in May. The increase came as a surprise to economists, who had been expecting the index to come in unchanged at 55.0. With the increase, the index indicated the fastest pace of manufacturing sector growth since April of 2006, when the index came in at 56.9.


[R]9:45AM Market opened lower, as oil topped $72 a barrel and bond yields rose.[/R]

U.S. stock markets reopened lower on Thursday after the Independence Day holiday, hurt by surging crude oil prices and rising bond yields. Oil prices hovered near $72 a barrel ahead of weekly petroleum report. Investors also digested the interest rate hike by The Bank of England to 5.75%, which exerted pressure on the dollar. Stocks failed to sustain the positive pre-market mood, despite 27% rise in the shares of Hilton Hotels ((HLT)) after Blackstone Group''''''''s ((BX)) $26 billion acquisition offer.

After market close on Tuesday, Blackstone said it will buy the hotel chain for $47.50 a share, which represents a 40% premium over Monday''''''''s closing price. The news suggested there will be more merger deals in the sector. Marriott International Inc. ((MAR)) gained 6% and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. ((HOT)) rose 8% amid speculations that they are possible takeover candidates.

In other deal news, chemicals group Huntsman ((HUN)) advanced 12% after it received a $6 billion offer from a private-equity firm that trumps last week''''''''s bid from Dutch group Basell. Coca-Cola Co. ((KO)) is reportedly looking into buying Cadbury Schweppes PLC''''''''s Snapple iced tea brand or building its own tea brand.

On the economic news front, two reports suggested a healthy labor market. The ADP employment report, a measure of jobs creation in the private sector, said 150,000 new non-government jobs were created in June, while the Labor Department said that initial claims rose by 2,000 in the latest week to 318,000.

In early trading, the Dow fell 45.20, or 0.33%, to 13,532.10. General Motors ((GM)) pushed the blue average down, as its shares slipped 4.5%. The stock was downgraded by a Bear Stearns after the automaker posted a 21.3% drop in June sales compared to last year. The Standard & Poor''''''''s 500 index was off 1.28, or 0.08%, at 1,523.59, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 0.85, or 0.03%, to 2,644.10.


[R]8:00AM Huntsman Corp. received a $6.1 billion offer from Apollo Management.[/R]

Huntsman Corp. ((HUN)), U.S. chemicals group, announced that it received an acquisition bid worth $6.1 billion from private-equity firm Apollo Management. The offer exceeds a previously agreed deal with Dutch group Basell. Apollo division Hexion Specialty Chemicals offered $27.25 a share in cash for Huntsman, representing an 8% premium to an offer of $25.25 a share, or $5.6 billion, from Basell.

In June, Huntsman agreed to the deal with privately owned Dutch group Basell. Including assumed debt, the Basell offer was worth around $9.6 billion. The deal can be terminated provided a better offer is received. If the deal with Basell is terminated, the Dutch group will be entitled to a $200 million break-up fee.

Under the terms of the agreement, Huntsman would receive a $325 million fee if Hexion failed to get regulatory approval or secure financing for the deal. Similarly, Huntsman would have to pay a $225 million fee to Hexion if it terminated the deal.


[R]6:30PM Mumbai, 8:00AM New York – DLF priced largest IPO in India and closed up 8.5% on its first day of trading.[/R]

The BSE 30-stock Sensex Index declined 18.35 or 0.1% to 14,861.69. The index had opened higher and quickly gained 70 points but faced selling in the afternoon trading in the face of 5.5% decline in Shanghai. Nifty index declined 5.35 to close 4,353.95. Of the 30 stocks in the Sensex 12 gained and 18 declined. Broader market declined with 1,656 stocks declining, 997 advancing, and 71 remaining unchanged.

DLF Ltd, IFCI, and Reliance Natural Resources topped the most active list.

IPO News

DLF Ltd priced 17.5 crore (175 million) share issue at Rs 525 per share. The issue was oversubscribed by 3.5 times and Kushal Pal Singh and his family will control 88.3% of the listed company. Institutions will hold 6% and the rest will be held by retail investors. The issue opened at Rs 582 and traded as high as 714 before settling at close to 570.05, up 8.6% from the listing price. The largest IPO offering raised $2.2 billion or Rs 9,200 crore valuing its current year earnings at 29 times, at high end of the range in the industry.

Other retail stocks fell as most investors adjusted their holding to make room for DLF, led by a decline of 5.2% in Unitech, 4.7% in Ansal Properties, 4.4% in Parsvnath, and 4.2% in Sobha Properties. Other smaller companies in the sector declined as well.

Gaines of the Day

Top gainer in the Sensex, ICICI Bank closed up 1.8% to Rs 1,003 on the news that the bank has received government approval to sell 24% stake in its financial services subsidiary. Other banks in the sector also participated in the rally. UTI Bank gained 2% to Rs 630, Union Bank edged up 0.4% to Rs 130, and Indian Bank surged 6.9% to Rs 140.

Britannia Industries surged 5% to Rs 1,703. Danone, The French partner of Wadia Group, agreed to sell its biscuit and cereal global business to Kraft Foods excluding its business in India and Latin America.

Larsen & Toubro rose 1.4% to Rs 2,325 after the company said that it plans to form five new companies in power projects, shipbuilding, boiler and boiler and turbines, and water purification.

BHEL gained for the second day in a row. The heavy engineering company has a order backlog of three years. The stock gained 1.3% to Rs 1,565.

Auto stocks rallied for the third day in a row. Tata Motors reported 2% decline in unit sales to 44,317 in June. The stocks increased 1.5% to Rs 708. Hero Honda edged up 0.4% to Rs688. TVS Motors jumped 3.4% to Rs 60 on June sales decline of 15% to 1,07,117.

Decliners of the Day

Among Sensex stocks Reliance Energy led the decliners with a loss of 3.25% to Rs 591. Ranbaxy lost 2.3% to Rs 359, HDFC Bank fell 2% to Rs 1,941, and Hindalco fell 1.3% to Rs 154. Reliance industries lost 0.3% to Rs 1,680.

Cement stocks fell after rallying for two days. UltraTech fell 5% to Rs 899, Ambuja Cements lost 1% to Rs 128, and ACC closed a fraction lower.

Arvind Mills fell 4.7% after National Stock Exchange banned additional derivative contract in the stock.

Firm but elevated trading in rupee against dollar left software exporters lower. Infosys, Tata Consultancy, Wipro and Satyam declined nearly 1%.