Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 01-03-2013.

European (SXXP) stocks declined, following nine months of gains for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, as measures of manufacturing in the U.K. and China dropped, while a report showed euro-area unemployment has climbed to a record.

The Stoxx 600 retreated 0.3 percent to 289.02 at the close in London, paring an earlier slide of as much as 1.1 percent.

China’s manufacturing growth unexpectedly slowed last month. The country’s official purchasing managers’ index slipped to 50.1 in February from 50.4 in January, the National Bureau of Statistics and China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said today in Beijing. The reading compared with the 50.5 median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of 31 economists. A number above 50 means that activity increased.

European stocks pared their decline after the Institute for Supply Management’s U.S. factory index increased to 54.2 last month from 53.1 a month earlier. Economists had projected the gauge would decline to 52.5, according to the median forecast.

National benchmark indexes dropped in 11 of the 18 western- European markets.

FTSE 100 6,378.6 +17.79 +0.28% CAC 40 3,699.91 -23.09 -0.62% DAX 7,708.16 -33.54 -0.43%

Rio Tinto retreated 2.8 percent to 3,442 pence as a gauge of mining companies posted the largest decline of the 19 industry groups in the Stoxx 600.

Kazakhmys Plc (KAZ) slumped 4.7 percent to 590 pence. Liberum Capital Ltd. downgraded Kazakhstan’s biggest copper producer to hold from buy, citing higher unit costs at its businesses.

Glencore International Plc (GLEN) dropped 2.7 percent to 377 pence. The largest publicly traded commodities supplier said it will miss its March 15 deadline to complete the $33 billion takeover of Xstrata Plc. Glencore said that it needs approval from China before it can conclude the deal. Xstrata slid 3.1 percent to 1,127 pence.

Belgacom plunged 5.6 percent to 20.21 euros after Belgium’s largest phone company forecast earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 1.69 billion euros ($2.2 billion) to 1.73 billion euros for 2013. The average analyst estimate had predicted Ebitda of 1.75 billion euros this year.

Vopak tumbled 11 percent to 48.90 euros, falling the most since November 2008. The world’s largest oil and chemical storage company reported an 8.5 percent drop in full-year operating profit to 536 million euros.

U.S. stock-index futures declined on spending cuts and manufacturing slowed in China, the euro area and USA.

Global Stocks:

European stocks declined, following nine months of gains for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, as measures of manufacturing in the U.K. and China dropped.

China’s manufacturing growth unexpectedly slowed last month. The official purchasing managers’ index slipped to 50.1 in February from 50.4 in January, the National Bureau of Statistics and China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said today in Beijing. The reading compared with the 50.5 median estimate in a survey of 31 economists. A number above 50 means that activity increased.

A separate release showed that a measure of manufacturing in the U.K. unexpectedly dropped last month. The PMI retreated to 47.9 from a revised 50.5 in January.

Belgacom SA sank to the lowest price since its initial public offering in 2004 after its forecast for 2013 missed projections.

Rio Tinto Group slid 2.6 percent after a person close to the matter said it plans to sell its Canadian iron-ore operations.

Thales SA jumped the most in 13 years after posting full-year profit that beat analysts’ projections.

FTSE 100 6,338.04 -22.77 -0.36%

CAC 40 3,684.52 -38.48 -1.03%

DAX 7,682.99 -58.71 -0.76%

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its biggest weekly advance in two months. Japanese shares rallied after a drop in consumer prices stoked speculation the Bank of Japan will add to monetary easing to beat deflation.

Nikkei 225 11,606.38 +47.02 +0.41%

Hang Seng 22,880.22 -140.05 -0.61%

S&P/ASX 200 5,086.13 -17.95 -0.35%

Shanghai Composite 2,359.51 -6.09 -0.26%

Mitsubishi Estate Co. jumped 6.1 percent, pacing gains among Japanese developers.

Sony Corp., the maker of Bravia televisions and PlayStation game consoles, rose 3.9 percent after selling a building in Tokyo for 111.1 billion yen ($1.2 billion).

Golden Agri-Resources Ltd. dropped 3.1 percent in Singapore after the world’s second-largest palm-oil producer reported fourth-quarter profit declined 93 percent.

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its biggest jump in five months, after U.S. economic data bolstered confidence in the global recovery and as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe nominated a new central bank governor.

Nikkei 225 11,559.36 +305.39 +2.71%

Hang Seng 23,020.27 +443.26 +1.96%

S&P/ASX 200 5,104.08 +67.49 +1.34%

Shanghai Composite 2,365.59 +52.37 +2.26%

Japan’s Nikkei 225 posted its longest monthly winning streak since 2006 amid speculation Abe’s nominee, Asian Development Bank President Haruhiko Kuroda, will push for more monetary stimulus.

In Sydney, James Hardie Industries SE, a building-materials supplier that gets 67 percent of sales from the U.S., gained 3.2 percent.

New World Development Co., a Hong Kong builder controlled by billionaire Cheng Yu-tung, rose 3.6 percent after posting earnings that beat estimates.

European (SXXP) stocks climbed, with the benchmark index rising for a ninth straight month, as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke signaled they would maintain monetary support.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 1 percent to 289.94 at the close of trading, extending its advance this month to 1 percent, for its longest monthly winning streak since 1997.

A Labor Department report showed that fewer Americans filed applications for unemployment benefits last week. Initial jobless claims fell by 22,000 to 344,000 in the week ended Feb. 23, compared with the median forecast of economists that called for 361,000.

The U.S. economy managed to barely expand in the fourth quarter. Gross domestic product grew at a 0.1 percent annual rate, up from a previously estimated 0.1 percent drop, revised figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. The median forecast of economists called for a 0.5 percent gain.

National benchmark indexes rose in all of the 18 western- European markets except Portugal today.

FTSE 100 6,360.81 +34.93 +0.55% CAC 40 3,723 +31.51 +0.85% DAX 7,741.7 +65.87 +0.86%

Bayer increased 2.7 percent to 75.86 euros after saying sales will rise to about 41 billion euros ($53.9 billion) this year. Fourth-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and special items increased 18 percent to 1.83 billion euros from 1.54 billion euros a year earlier, in line with analysts’ estimates.

Telefonica (TEF) added 20 cents to 10 euros after reporting fourth-quarter earnings that beat analysts’ estimates as sales growth in Latin America helped to offset revenue declines in its domestic market. Operating income before depreciation and amortization fell 8.6 percent to 5.45 billion euros, compared with projections for 5.44 billion euros.

HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA) gained 0.9 percent to 731.4 pence. Europe’s largest bank by market value may say pretax profit in 2012 rose 7.4 percent to $23.5 billion when it reports earnings on March 4.

Standard Chartered Plc (STAN) may say pretax profit last year climbed to $7.12 billion from $6.78 billion, according to the median estimate of analysts. The stock increased 1.2 percent to 1,796 pence.

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) rallied 7.9 percent to 239.2 pence, its highest price since July 26, 2011. Europe’s third-largest carrier had a full-year operating loss of 23 million euros, excluding one-time items, compared with a 485 million-euro profit a year earlier. Analysts had expected an 88 million-euro loss.

U.S. stocks advanced, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average closer to its record, as government reports showed the economy expanded at the end of 2012 and jobless claims declined more than estimated last week.

Gross domestic product grew at a 0.1 percent annual rate, up from a previously estimated 0.1 percent drop, revised figures from the Commerce Department showed. Economists predicted a 0.5 percent gain. Jobless claims fell to 344,000 in the week ended Feb. 23. The median forecast called for 360,000 applications. Business activity in the U.S. unexpectedly expanded in February at the fastest pace in almost a year.

The International Monetary Fund will lower its growth forecast for the U.S., where $85 billion in spending cuts are due to begin tomorrow, an IMF spokesman said.

Warren Buffett once said that shunning dividends in his early years running Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK/A) allowed him to refocus the company on better businesses, much as a person would overcome “a misspent youth.” The 82-year-old billionaire is now focused on his legacy as he prepares the company he’s overseen for almost five decades for new management. Using his annual letter tomorrow to outline a dividend strategy could help explain to shareholders how the company’s next leaders should approach the challenge of allocating profits.

Most components of DOW index closed in plus (18 of 30). Shares of Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ, +2.15%) advanced more than other components. Shares of Unitedhealth Group, Inc. (UNH, -0.64%) fell more than other components

All sectors of the S&P closed in plus. Most growts showed sector of consumer goods (+0.5%) and conglomerates  (+0.5%).

On result of yesterdays session:

Dow -21.12 14,054.25 -0.15%

Nasdaq -2.07 3,160.19 -0.07%

S&P -1.33 1,514.66 -0.09%

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 11,559.36 +305.39 +2.71%

Hang Seng 23,020.27 +443.26 +1.96%

S&P/ASX 200 5,104.08 +67.49 +1.34%

Shanghai Composite 2,365.59 +52.37 +2.26%

CAC 40 3,723 +31.51 +0.85%

DAX 7,741.7 +65.87 +0.86%

Dow -21.12 14,054.25 -0.15%

Nasdaq -2.07 3,160.19 -0.07%