The S&P 500 index lost 0.2% to 1,500.18 points in the end of New York trading session on Monday. The major U.S. index slipped lower after the longest rally since 2004. Investors traded pessimistically, as the home sales index indicated a 4.3% contraction in December after 1.6% increase in November. Also, durable goods in the U.S. increased by 4.6% in
European stocks stayed flat on Monday as reports on U.S. economic data showed that durables orders advanced while pending house-sales retreated. The DAX index erased 0.3%, or 23.62 points, to 7,833.75. All but one group in the gauge declined with utilities pairing biggest losses, as they tumbled 1.62%, followed by health care and consumer services that retreated 0.62% and
U.K. shares climbed, with the FTSE 100 index extending its highest level in four years after a report showed durable goods in the U.S. increased at a faster pace than estimated by economists. The FTSE 100 advanced 0.2%, or 13.1 points, to 6,297.5. The gauge has rallied 6.8% so far this year. Five out of ten groups in the gauge
Hong Kong shares capped their earlier losses and posted their first gain in four days on improving Chinese banking sector that offset the declining property counters. The Hang Seng index advanced 0.4% to 23,671.9 on Monday. All but two groups in the gauge advanced with basic materials jumping the most by 0.66%. Want Want China posted biggest increase in its
U.S. stock index futures improved modestly on Monday after data showed good start to the earnings season, when the benchmark Standart and Poor's 500 index rose over the level of 1,500 for the first time in a five-year period. S&P 500 futures climbed 2 points, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures jumped 22 points and Nasdaq 100 futures added 2 points
The shared currency slipped from the highest level in an eleven-month period against its major counterpart on Monday as investors closed their positions after the recent rally, although growing optimism on the Eurozone recovery might make them go long again at lower prices. The Euro decreased 0.2% to $1.3435 on Monday after reaching its highest level in eleven months last
Japan's government upwardly revised it's gross domestic product growth for the fiscal year starting April 2013 as the new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented his monetary policy measures in order to end deflation and boost the economy, the report by the Cabinet Office showed on Monday. The report estimates the economy to rise 2.5%, a higher figure than 1.7% estimated
U.S. durable goods rose notably above economists' expectations in the last month of 2012, together with transportation equipment orders which increased by 11.9% in the same month, the Commerce Department reported on Monday. The report showed a 4.6% rise of durable goods orders in December following a November's 0.7% jump, while economists forecast a 1.6% jump.Stock prices were changed after the report
Japanese Stocks dropped, dragging down the Nikkei 225 index from its longest stretch of gains since 1970, as Fanuc Corporation and Advantest Corporation retreated on rising concerns about their profits. The Nikkei 225 declined 0.9% to 10,824.31. Eight out of ten groups in the index edged lower. Fanuc erased 7% to 13,550 yen after the company lowered its earnings outlook
U.S. equities posted longest series of daily gains since the year 2004 on better-than-expected corporate profits and U.S. lawmakers' decision to temporarily delay the federal debt-ceiling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 1.8%, or 246.28 points, to 13,895.98. All sectors in the gauge edged higher. Consumer goods posted biggest gains after Procter & Gamble jumped the most among all blue
U.S. shares climbed on Friday, posting the longest stretch of daily rallies in the last 8 years, as optimism rose on corporate earnings that beat the estimates and the delay in determining the federal debt-ceiling. The S&P 500 index advanced 1.1% to 1,502.96. All groups in the index edged higher. Netflix was the best performing blue chip in the
Rural commodities were mixed on Friday amid broadly weaker US Dollar and concerns over spreading coffee leaf rust in Central America. Meanwhile, mixed US export data released by the USDA also caused grains' price correction. Wheat climbed after the USDA report showed that US wheat export sales beat expectations, surging above 650,000 tonnes. Additionally, concerns over the US hard winter
Energy futures moved lower on Friday after weak data release from the US real estate market. Moreover, profit taking after Thursday's rally put heavy pressure on the commodity group. However, positive German business confidence data as well as weaker greenback restricted a downward trend. Crude oil ended the week in the negative territory as traders cashed out form the market after
Industrial metals were bearish on Friday despite encouraging German business confidence data. The Ifo institute's business climate index rose to 104.2 this month, the highest level since June. However, weak US housing data release weighted on industrial metals. US new home sales dropped 7.3% on a monthly basis in December. Aluminum sagged 3.44% after dismal data from the US property market.
Precious metals were mixed on Friday as investors continued to lock in gains after the previous rally. Moreover, upbeat reading of German business confidence eroded safe-haven appeal of the commodity group. At the same time, broadly weaker greenback provided support for the commodity complex. Gold slumped on profit taking and positive German data. However, weaker-than-expected new home sales in the US
New home sales in the U.S. dropped unexpectedly in the month of December despite an improvement of longer-term trend, the U.S. Commerce Department reported on Friday. New single-family homes declined 7.3% from a November's revised level of 398,000 to a seasonally adjusted 369,000 in December, while economists expected the new home sales to rise to 388,000."2012 was the first year
The British economy slowed down more than economists expected in the last quarter of 2012 as oil production in the North Sea fell, quarrying and mining output declined and as the Olympic games boost slumped, pushing the economy into a "triple-dip" recession. The UK's gross domestic product shrank 0.3% in the Q4 compared to a 0.1% fall initially estimated."There are
U.K. equities stayed flat, retreating from their earlier gains this week, after data on the economy showed that it shrank in the last quarter, indicating a possibility that the company might fall into a triple-dip recession. The FTSE 100 index advanced 0.1% to 6,272.58. Seven out of ten groups in the index advanced with telecommunication shares rallying the most by
Business confidence in the Europe's largest economy advanced above expectations of economists in January suggesting that the country's economy is recovering from a decrease the last month, the Ifo Business survey revealed on Friday. The Ifo Business Climate Index for German industry and trade advanced for the third consecutive month from a 102.4 in December to 104.2 in January, its
German equities advanced reaching their five-year high, as business confidence advanced more than expected in January and ECB released data indicated that banks will repay more than forecast long-term operation loans. The DAX index rose 1.3% to 7,847.91, its highest in five years. All but one group in the index advanced. Bayer AG posted biggest gains of 5.8%, as the
Hong Kong blue Chips extended their losses, as the Hang Seng index went 0.1% down this week. The stocks fell as investors closed their positions on outperformers. The Hang Seng index slid 0.1% to 23,580.4 after closing at its 20-month high on Tuesday. Four out of nine groups declined n the gauge. Hengan International, which manufactures and sells personal
Japanese equities edged higher hitting a 32-month high as the national currency kept declining versus the greenback after investors became more optimistic on the new government's plans to boost Japan's economy. The Nikkei 225 index rallied 2.9% to 10,926.67, as the country's government pledged the yen to continue weakening. All but two groups in the gauge edged higher with
Rural commodities except for corn retreated on Thursday on expectations of a decline in the US grain exports. Meanwhile, ample global supplies weighed on softs. Solid greenback and better weather conditions in the US also pushed farm commodities lower. Wheat declined on easing concerns over persistent drought in the US Great Plains. Experts predict the US winter wheat area to
Energy futures except for natural gas were bullish after a release of the EIA inventory report. The market sentiment was further boosted by better-than-expected flash PMI readings in the US, China and Europe. Crude oil rose despite larger-than-expected increase in the US inventories. The EIA reported US stockpiles climbed by 2.8 million barrels last week versus an expected 1.9-million-barrel jump. Brent