Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 05-09-2012.

European stocks closed little changed, after swinging between gains and losses, as investors await tomorrow’s European Central Bank meeting.

Under Draghi’s proposed blueprint, which may be called “Monetary Outright Transactions,” the ECB would refrain from setting a public cap on yields, according to two central bank officials, and a third official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The plan will only focus on government bonds rather than a broader range of assets and will target short-dated maturities of up to about three years, two of the people said.

National benchmark indexes advanced in 12 of the 18 western-European markets. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index fell 0.3 percent. France’s CAC 40 gained 0.2 percent and Germany’s DAX rose 0.5 percent.

Richemont added 1.5 percent to 60.05 Swiss francs after the world’s largest jewelry maker reported revenue that climbed 23 percent in the five months through August as the dollar’s strength boosted the value of sales in that currency.

BP, the owner of the Macondo well that caused the worst U.S. oil spill two years ago, slid 2.9 percent to 423.85 pence after the U.S. Justice Department reiterated it will pursue charges of gross negligence in the case. The company faces a trial with the DOJ after reaching a $7.8 billion settlement in March with victims of the spill.

STMicroelectronics NV declined 4.9 percent to 4.40 euros after UBS AG lowered its recommendation for the biggest European chipmaker to sell from neutral, saying its share price doesn’t take account of continuing challenges to the business. Exane BNP Paribas also downgraded the shares to underperform, the equivalent of a sell rating, from neutral.

U.S. stock futures were little changed as speculation Europe will act to tame its debt crisis offset disappointing economic data.
Stock futures retreated from session lows after two central bank officials briefed on the plan said European Central Bank President Mario Draghi’s bond-buying proposal involves unlimited purchases of government debt that will be sterilized to assuage concerns about printing money.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  8,679.82 -95.69 -1.09%
Hang Seng 19,145.07 -284.84 -1.47%
Shanghai Composite 2,037.68 -5.97 -0.29%
FTSE  5,670.29 -1.72 -0.03%
CAC  3,422.33 +23.29 +0.69%
DAX 6,987.13 +54.55 +0.79%
Global Stocks $96.68 +0,22%

Gold $1695.30 -0.04%

European stocks rose ahead of a meeting of the European Central Bank, which will be held tomorrow, tomorrow, while data from the U.S., China and Australia show that the growth of the world economy is slowing down. U.S. index futures and Asian shares also fell.

Shares Cie. Financiere Richemont SA - manufacturer of jewelry Cartier, rose 1.7% after that for five months, sales grew by 23%.

The cost of BP Plc (BP /) fell 3.8 percent after a report that the U.S. Justice Department accused the oil company of gross negligence.

Shares of STMicroelectronics NV, Europe's largest chip maker, fell by 4.2%, against the fact that UBS AG and Exane BNP Paribas recommended selling shares.

Stoxx Europe 600 Index rose 0.3 percent to 266.22.

To date:

FTSE 100 5,671.23 -0.78 -0.01%

CAC 40 3,407.91 +8.87 +0.26%

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index headed for the longest losing streak in eight weeks, as economic reports from the U.S. to China and Australia stoked concern global growth is slowing.

Nikkei 225 8,679.82 -95.69 -1.09%

S&P/ASX 200 4,278.77 -24.75 -0.58%

Shanghai Composite 2,037.68 -5.97 -0.29%

Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea’s largest exporter of consumer electronics that gets 20 percent of its revenue in America, lost 2.4 percent in Seoul.

Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s No. 2 lender by market value, slid 1.5 percent in Sydney as the country’s economy grew at a slower-than-estimated rate.

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd., Australia’s third-biggest iron-ore producer, plunged 8.5 percent as prices of the steelmaking material fell to a three-year low on slowing growth in China.

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index poised for its longest losing streak in six weeks, as the European Union’s outlook was cut by Moody’s Investors Service ahead of policy makers’ meetings. Australian shares declined as the central bank left the key rate unchanged.

Nikkei 225 8,775.51 -8.38 -0.10%

S&P/ASX 200 4,303.5 -26.17 -0.60%

Shanghai Composite 2,040.09 -19.05 -0.93%

Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., an operator of retail chains that gets 55 percent of its revenue in Europe, fell 0.2 percent in Hong Kong.

Westpac Banking Corp., Australia’s second-biggest lender by market value, slid 2.3 percent.

Agile Property Holdings Ltd. declined 5.7 percent in Hong Kong as its rating was cut at DBS Vickers after its chairman was arrested.

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 8,775.51 -8.38 -0.10%

S&P/ASX 200 4,303.5 -26.17 -0.60%

Shanghai Composite 2,040.09 -19.05 -0.93%