Europe's main stock markets mostly fell on Monday despite gains in Asia on an easing of political tensions in Egypt as markets digested mixed economic data, especially signs of inflation pressures.
Traders said recent sustained gains left stocks vulnerable, with concerns over inflation emerging to provide a ready excuse to sell as investors consolidate positions.
London's FTSE 100 index of top shares fell 0.10 percent to 6,056.83 points in late morning trade, Frankfurt's DAX 30 rose 0.27 percent to 7,390.75 points and the Paris CAC 40 slipped 0.22 percent to 4,002.14.
The Stoxx 50 index of leading eurozone companies dropped 0.29 percent to 3,015.65 points approaching the half-way mark.
"Although Asia found support (from Egypt), .. Read More
Current News | 02.15.11 | No Comments
Egypt's exports fell six percent in January because of the mass protests and curfew, Trade Minister Samiha Fawzi Ibrahim said on Saturday.
Exports in January stood at 7.7 billion Egyptian pounds ($1.32 billion), down from 8.2 billion pounds, she said, without saying whether the comparison was with December or January 2010.
She was speaking at a news conference given by the prime minister, the main economic ministers and the central bank governor to give an assessment of their sectors' performance and priorities -- and show the government was operating as normal.
She said authorities were providing extra food supplies to stabilize prices in the market and avoid shortages.
Many shops have been closed during 12 days of protests aga.. Read More
Current News | 02.7.11 | No Comments
Stock markets in Asia mostly fell on Monday as traders grew increasingly worried about unrest in Egypt and oil prices hovered just below the $100 a barrel mark.
Share prices partly lost ground due to last week's sharp falls on Wall Street -- the result both of instability in Egypt and poor corporate results.
However, resource stocks gained on higher prices for oil and gold.
Tokyo's Nikkei index ended down 1.18 percent, or 122.42 points, at 10,237.92 and Sydney's S&P/ASX 200 index dropped 0.44 percent, or 21.0 points, to 4,753.9, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.72 percent, or 169.68 points, to 23,447.34.
But the Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.38 percent, or 37.94 points, to 2,790.69, with gains among oil companies and gold mi.. Read More
Current News | 01.31.11 | No Comments
U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Monday as the potential for spreading geopolitical tremors in the Middle East caused investors to exercise caution.
* The possible spread of unrest to other Arab nations could drive up oil prices and dampen growth global prospects.
* Protests to end the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak continued over the weekend, heightening risk aversion for European investors already concerned by the effect their own region's sovereign debt crisis and inflation could have on growth.
* Signs of instability in the region sent stocks to their biggest one-day loss in nearly six months and prevented the Dow from notching its longest weekly winning streak since 1995 on Friday.
* Earnings season .. Read More
Current News | 01.31.11 | No Comments
Boeing Co. and Caterpillar Inc. led stocks higher on Tuesday, pushing the Dow Jones industrial average to its highest close since June 2008.
Boeing rose 3.4 percent after reporting that it expects to deliver its long-awaited 787 jet in the third quarter. Caterpillar gained 2.8 percent. The two companies contributed more than half of the Dow's 50 point rise.
Indexes swung between gains and losses earlier in the day. Apple Inc. weighed on the Nasdaq composite index after the company announced that its CEO, Steve Jobs, was taking another medical leave. Apple fell 2.2 percent to $340.65.
After the market closed, Apple said its net income soared 78 percent in the holiday quarter. The company sold 16 million iPhones, an 86 percent increa.. Read More
Current News | 01.19.11 | No Comments
U.S. stock index futures traded flat on Thursday, coming off a broad rally in the previous session, as investors looked ahead to labor market data and results from Intel, the first major technology company to report earnings.
A pair of bond auctions in Europe went smoothly, helping to further ease concerns over the region's sovereign debt issues that have weighed on investors.
Initial jobless claims are expected to decline to 405,000 in the latest week from 409,000. The number is the first read on the labor market since Friday's surprisingly weak payrolls report.
The November international trade deficit is seen widening to $40.5 billion from $38.71 billion in October. Both the jobless claims and trade data will be released at 8:30 .. Read More
Current News | 01.17.11 | 1 Comment
Bangladesh's volatile stock market rose more than 15 percent by midday on Tuesday, rebounding a day after a plunge triggered violent clashes between angry investors and police.
The benchmark Dhaka Stock Exchange general index (DGEN) gained 1,005 points, or 15.47 percent, to 7,507 but analysts said the market could still face trouble as the bounce was led by government intervention.
The huge gain came after the market slumped 7.76 percent on Sunday while Monday's trade was suspended within a hour when the index dived a record 9.25 percent.
"This is a government-led rebound driven by market-boosting measures from the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC) and the central bank that have increased liquidity," Mahmud Osman, profess.. Read More
Current News | 01.11.11 | No Comments
London's main stock market soared by more than 100 points in the City's first day of trade in 2011.
London's FTSE 100 index closed 113.93 points or 1.93 percent higher at 6,013.87 points.
"The FTSE 100 started the year with a bang," said Joshua Raymond, an analyst at City Index trading group.
"Whilst inevitably some may be drawn to the positive start as a signal of intent by investors for 2011, the FTSE is playing catch up to US and European markets which closed higher yesterday, and investors are buying back into the oversold falls suffered on Christmas Eve.
"Make no mistake however, it's another strong start to the year for the UK markets," he added.
Investors in London shrugged off an rise in Britain's standard rate of sal.. Read More
Current News | 01.6.11 | No Comments
