Daimler, Acciona Pace European Decline

albena
10 Sep, 2007
New York City

European stock markets closed lower on Monday, continuing a downward trend from the previous week when investors sold off stocks with a high proportion of debt or exposure to the U.S. subprime crisis. Leading losers included companies related to the construction sector, such as Acciona and Vinci. Across regional markets, the U.K. dropped 0.9%, while both France and Germany ended down 0.8%.

[R]1:00PM NY, 5:00 PM Frankfurt European markets closed in the negative, led by construction stocks.[/R]

European stock markets closed lower on Monday, continuing a downward trend from the previous week when investors sold off stocks with a high proportion of debt or exposure to the U.S. subprime crisis. Leading losers included companies related to the construction sector, such as Acciona and Vinci. Other companies posting significant losses included car maker DaimlerChrysler, as well as financial firms like Credit Suisses Group and Commerzbank. Across regional markets, the U.K. dropped 0.9%, while both France and Germany ended down 0.8%.

Spanish construction company Acciona lost 5.6%, while Credit Suisse fell 1.2%. On the positive side, Philips Electronics was a notable gainer, rising 3.4% after it said it expects operating margin above 10% by 2010 with a minimum of 6% per year comparable-sales growth from 2008 through 2010.

In Frankfurt the decline was pace by DaimlerChrysler and ThyssenKrupp. The world’s second-biggest luxury car maker slipped 2.7%, while the steel maker dropped 2%.

In Paris Steelmaker Arcelor slid 1.6% after Citigroup cut its recommendation on the stock to hold from buy. Among rising stocks, Peugeot advanced 1.8% on plans to cut up to 3,000 jobs each year in Western Europe until 2010 as part of a cost-reduction plan.

In London shares of Associated British Foods dropped 3.4% after the retailer said increased costs would hurt profit margins. Mining stocks also contributed to the broad market weakness, with Anglo American falling 2.1% on speculations the company will buy Toronto-based miner Katanga Mining. Among other notable decliners, CRH fell 3.4%. In the financial sector, Barclays failed to sustain earlier gains, closing down 0.4%. At the same time, tech stocks moved to the upside, benefiting from an improved outlook by Intel and strong iPhone sales at Apple.


[R]10:00AM New York - 7:30PM Mumbai – Brokerage and financial stocks gain ahead of Motilal Oswal IPO.[/R]

Sensex in Mumbai trading gained 6.4 or 0.04% to close at 15,596.83 and managed to recover from 220 point loss during the trading. CNX Nifty fell 1.66 or 0.04% to close at 4,507.85. Rupee recovered to 40.64 against dollar from 40.68 in Friday trading.

Of the stocks trading on BSE, 1,682 gained, 1,083 declined, and 58 closed unchanged. Daily turnover on the exchange declined to 4,026 crore rupees from 4,890 crore rupees in Friday’s trading. In trading on National Stock Exchange volume declined to 8,908 crore rupees from 9,980 crore rupees.

Of the 30 stocks in the Sensex, 14 fell and 16 gained. ITC led the gainers in the index with a rise of 3.8%.

Reliance Industries jumped 1.3% to 1,986 rupees after the company agreed to acquire assets of Malaysian polyester company Hualon.

Weak U.S. trading and concerns of economic slowdown hurt software exporters again. Infosys fell 2% to 1,869 rupees, Wipro declined 2.5% to 466 rupees, and Satyam Computers lost 1.4% to 443 rupees. Education and training company Aptech surged 4% to 380 rupees after it reported that U.S. investment bank Bear Stearns has sold 1 million stock and lowered its holding in the company to 2.3% from 3.5%.

Ahead of Motilal Oswal IPO, brokerage stocks rallied. Emkay Shares led the sector with a rise of 11% followed by 10% increase in India Infoline and JRG Securities, and 7% increase in Geojit Financial Services. Prime Securities jumped 4% to 100 rupees and Khandwala Securities gained 3% to 47 rupees.

Motilal Oswal priced its offering at the high end of its filing range to 825 rupees and valuing the company at 31 times earnings. The offering is oversubscribed by 27 times. The stock is expected to trade tomorrow.

Banks declined. HDFC dropped 1.7% to 2,095 rupees and ICICI Bank dropped 0.7% to 912 rupees. Corporation Bank gained 0.9% to 338 rupees after it reported to sell its stake in National Stock Exchange for 35 crore rupees.

ONGC dropped 2.2% to 832 rupees after paying 13 rupees dividend per share.

ITC, cigarette maker, jumped nearly 4% to 184 rupees on the news that the company has received approval to expand its cigarette facility from Kolkata Port Trust.

In other trading, NTPC, the domestic leader in power generation, gained 2.5% to 191 rupees. Cement companies rallied led by 3% gain in Ambuja Cements and 1% in Grasim.

Ranbaxy Laboratories gained 2.2% to 418 rupees after the World Health Organization included its three AIDS treatment drugs totaling 15 drugs in the prequalification list.

Gammon India fell 9% to 420 after the news that a bridge under construction in Hyderabad collapsed on Sunday. Gammon, the general contractor for the construction may suffer financial liabilities from the collapse.


[R]09:45AM Wall Street rebounded on rate-cut optimism and strong tech stocks.[/R]

Wall Street opened higher Monday, lifted by investor optimism that surprisingly weak employment report will lead the Fed Reserve to cut interest rates at its policy-setting meeting next week.

A notable strength in the tech sector also contributed to the early gains. Intel ((INTC)) rose 1.3% after the chip maker lifted its Q3 revenue forecast on stronger-than-expected chip demand. Advanced Micro Devices ((AMD)) climbed 2.9% after it launched its latest microchip, Barcelona, which is designed to be the heart of corporate server networks.

Among declining stocks on the tech-dominated Nasdaq, Yahoo ((YHOO)) slipped 2.9% on speculations that it will retain the Web-search-advertising businesses that it had planned to outsource to Google ((GOOG)).

Bucking the upward move, Countrywide Financial ((CFC)) dropped 4% after the mortgage lender said it may reduce up to 12,000 jobs. Washington Mutual Inc. ((WM)) slid 3.2 % after it said it may set aside $500 million more than it had previously planned for loan losses in 2007.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 63.24, or 0.48%, to 13,176.62. The Standard & Poor''s 500 index rose 5.71, or 0.39%, 1,459.26, and the technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index was up 19.28, or 0.75%, at 2,584.98.


[R]09:00AM U.S. stock futures pointed to a steady opening.[/R]

U.S. stock futures were indicating a flat opening Monday, recovering from heavy losses in the previous session inflicted by unexpected employment decline. Investors were also awaiting speeches from Fed Reserve officials expected to give a clue about the central bank''s reaction to the weaker-than-expected U.S. employment report Friday.

In a light economic agenda, the Fed Reserve is scheduled to release its consumer credit report. The report is expected to show that Americans tacked on debt at a slower pace in July compared to the previous month, due to higher gas prices rose and weakness in the housing market.

Among companies in focus, Countrywide Financial ((CFC)) fell over 1% in pre-market trading after the mortgage lender said it may reduce up to 12,000 jobs in areas impacted by lower mortgage-market origination volumes. Advanced Micro Devices ((AMD)) jumped 2.7% as the chip maker launched its latest microchip, Barcelona, which is designed to be the heart of corporate server networks.

In other corporate news, Philips Electronics ((PHG)) lifted its margin targets. S&P 500 futures eased a half-point at 1,459.30 and Nasdaq 100 futures were unmoved at 1,970.50. Dow industrial futures slipped 24 points.


[R]7:00AM New York, 8:00PM Tokyo - Japanese stocks opened week in the red after economy shrank 1.2% in second quarter. Tokyo banks’ lending rises 0.5% in August. Yen rallies most in a fortnight.[/R]

Japanese stocks fell sharply Monday pulled back by negative economic news at home and in the U.S. Tokyo added to the losses started last week, fell 2.2% today. Property and financial stocks dropped heaviest. Of the 225 Toko shares, 206 shares fell, only 13 gained and 6 remained unchanged. Of the index shares, 28 stocks dropped over 4%.

In Tokyo trading Nikkei 225 plunged 2.22% or 357.19 to 15,764.97 on increased selling pressure. Investors were jittery over a contracting economy in Japan and higher job losses in the U.S. Exporters dropped after yen rose to 113.10 against dollar from 113.38 Friday and over 115 beginning of last week. Analysts expect the yen to touch a high of 111 per dollar this week.

Japanese Government announced Monday the economy shrank an annualised 1.2% in the second quarter to June, lower than initial forecast of 0.5% growth. The contraction corresponds to a 0.3% drop from the first quarter and is the first negative economic growth since 2004 year-end quarter, measured in term of GDP.

The Bank of Japan reported today Japan’s money supply indicator increased 1.8% in August from a year ago. The average daily balance of M2 plus certificates of deposit came to 723.6 trillion yen. M2 consists of cash in circulation, demand deposits and quasi-money. The bank said again Monday the average daily balance of domestic bank lending rose 0.5% to 387.02 trillion yen in August from 12 months ago The loan balance, excluding loans by credit cooperatives, was adjusted for special factors — loan securitisation, exchange-rate fluctuations and the allocation of loan-loss reserves.

Real estate, financial and technology shares declined most in Tokyo. Of the Nikkei 225 stocks, Topy Industries Ltd paced decliners slumping 7.7% followed by Shimizu Corp that plunged 7.1%. Technology group, Sony Corp fell 6.03%, Okuma Corp down 5.8% and Resona Holdings lost 5.6%.

Of the Nikkei 225 index stocks, property shares Kajima Corp lost 5.44%, Heiwa Real Estate closed lower 5.34% while Tokyu Land Corp, Mitsui Fudosan, Sumitomo Realty and Mitsubishi Estate Co fell 4.7%, 4.67%, 4.5% and 3.8% respectively. Financials Mistubishi UFJ and Sojitz Corp dragged 4.93% apiece. Chiba Bank Ltd, Chiyoda Corp, Shizuoka Bank, Marubeni Corp lost over 3.5%. Industrial and steel companies dropped too.

Of the index shares, Nippon Suisan led gainers rising 4.8% followed by Daikin Industries up 4% and Mitsubishi Electric Corp added 3.6%. Kyowa Hakko KOG and Denki Kagaku ended up 2.4% and 2.3% respectively.