Financials Gain, Countrywide Jumps 14%

Elena
17 Aug, 2007
New York City

Wall Street surged at opening Friday, recovering from the multi-year slump seen over the past week amid continuous turmoil in the credit markets. Market returned back to normal trading after the Fed Reserve reduced its discount rate on loans to banks by half a point to 5.75%, thus easing liquidity worries. The Dow Jones jumped over 300 points. European stocks also took relief on the news to achieve a substantial recovery of 3% in the positive.

[R]09:45AM Wall Street surged at opening after Fed cut its discount rate. Countrywide Financial jumped 14%.[/R]

Wall Street surged at opening Friday, recovering from the multi-year slump seen over the past week amid continuous turmoil in the credit markets. Market returned back to normal trading after the Fed Reserve reduced its discount rate on loans to banks by half a point to 5.75%, thus easing liquidity worries.

The Dow Jones jumped over 300 points. European stocks also took relief on the news to achieve a substantial recovery of 3% in the positive. The stock market is likely to see more volatility in the session due to the pending expiration of August options contracts.

Financials stocks traded steeply higher following the surprise move by the Fed in response to the credit markets severe crisis. Shares of much troubled mortgage lender Countrywide Financial ((CFC)) jumped 14% after Banc of America Securities upgraded the stock to neutral from sell.The Dow Jones advanced 303.37 at 13,149.15 in the opening minutes.

In earnings-related news, Dow member Hewlett-Packard ((HPQ)) said Q3 jumped 29% on strong demand for personal computers and printer ink, exceeding expectations. The stock climbed 2.7%. Department store chain Nordstrom ((JWN)) reported a slim Q2 profit amid higher expenses related to way its accounts for its Visa credit card business. Company's shares edged down 0.3%.

The Nasdaq Composite is up 68.13 to 2,519.20 and the Standard & Poor's 500 index has gained 32.83 to 1,444.10. Meanwhile, bond prices fell as the yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 4.70% from 4.66% late Thursday.


[R]09:00AM U.S. stock futures plunged, dragged by weak housing data and Countrywide Financial.[/R]

U.S. stock futures rallied on Friday, recovering from steep losses in the previous session amid growing credit markets worries. The rebound followed an unexpected move by the Federal Reserve of reducing the discount rate by half a percentage point to 5.75%, trying to relieve investors'''' fears about market liquidity. The Fed cut the rate that it charges member banks for loans.

Among pre-market highlights, much troubled lender Countrywide Financial ((CFC)) rebounded 10% after Banc of America Securities upgraded its stock. In other corporate news, Wild Oats ((OATS)) surged 19% after a federal judge blocked a government regulator''s request to block a proposed acquisition by Whole Foods. S&P 500 futures were up 26.3 points, well above fair value. Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 189 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 41.50 points.


[R]08:00AM Hewlett-Packard posted 29% earnings jump in Q3 on strong demand for PCs.[/R]

Hewlett-Packard Co. ((HPQ)) posted better-than-expected Q3 profit and sales, boosted by strong demand for personal computers and lucrative printer ink. The company said its earnings jumped 29% to $1.78 billion, or 66 cents per share, higher from the $1.38 billion, or 48 cents per share a year ago. Excluding one-time charges, HP earned 71 cents per share, beating the average analyst estimate of 66 cents a share.

The tech giant reported 16% sales increase, totaling $25.38 billion. Revenues were more than $1 billion higher than the $24.09 billion in sales expected by analysts. The biggest sales jump came within the company''s Personal Systems Group, which includes desktop and laptop computers. The stock edged down 0.11% in pre-market trading.

[R]7:00AM New York, 8:00PM Tokyo-Massive sell-off sends Japan into doldrums, lowest levels in 6 years. Yen continue firming. The Bank of Japan injects 1.2 trillion yen to improve liquidity and stem interest rates increase.]/R]

Japanese shares hit fresh 6-year lows, as exporters, steel and ship building stocks fell relentlessly on firming yen. Early morning gains in financials were wiped off in afternoon trade, as the U.S. mortgage market problems continue causing mayhem in global shares. Japan plummeted 5.42%. Of 225 shares 200 crashed, 23 gained and 2 were unchanged. Of the stocks in the index, 33 shares fell by more 10% while 86 stocks dropped by between 5% and 9.9%. The Topix fell 5.5%.

In Tokyo trading Nikkei 225 plunged 5.42% to 15,273.68, the biggest decline in 6 years. Landslide declines in exporters mostly, underpinned the fall. The yen firmed to 111 against the dollar from 116 earlier in the week. In the morning, the yen had strengthened to 112. Yesterday it fluctuated between 114 and 113 yen per dollar. For the week the yen has gained 4.2%. The Bank of Japan injected 1.2 trillion into the market to ease liquidity and cool heating rates. Yesterday the Bank of Japan added 400 billion into financial system. But rates remained high, failing to fall below the BOJ target rate of 0.5%.

Japan and South Korea financials architects are due to meet early next week in the wake of financial markets volatility that has caused huge losses amongst investors in the region. Over 250 Japanese delegates will also visit several Asia states to discuss bilateral and investment issues. Japan will extend 400 billion-yen concessionary-rate loan to India as development aid.

Of the stocks Nikkei 225, exporters fell heaviest against a rising yen on expectations foreign earnings will crumble. Sumitomo Met min led losses crashing 16.4% followed by Mitsui ENG Shipb down 15.68%. Hitachi Zosen sank 14.68% while Japan Steelwork lost 13.9% and NGK Insulators falling 13.6%. Carmakers Toyota and Honda fell sharply too. Financials faltered to deceive having regained some lost ground in early morning trade. Most ended in the negative at close. Mitsubishi UFJ F shed 4.5%. At least 13 shares gained by between 1% and 4% while 10 increased below 1%. KDDI led up 3.7% followed by Nippon Paper GRO up 2.82% while Credit Saison inched higher 2.7%. East Japan Rail added 2.7%.

Mitsukoshi Ltd and Isetan Co. are in merger talks to be settled in the ratio 0.3 to 1, according to Nikkei Net Interactive. Isetan Co rose 0.34% in Tokyo.