Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 10-04-2014.

European stocks declined as a report showed Chinese imports unexpectedly slumped last month, outweighing gains by personal- and household-goods companies after LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA posted results.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.6 percent to 333.23 at 4:30 p.m. in London. The benchmark earlier rose as much as 0.6 percent after the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last meeting eased concern about when interest rates will increase. European equities have fallen 1.8 percent from a six-year high on April 4 as investors sold the shares with the highest valuations.

National benchmark indexes declined in 15 of the 18 western-European markets today.

FTSE 100 6,633.47 -2.14 -0.03% CAC 40 4,410.77 -31.91 -0.72% DAX 9,448.76 -57.59 -0.61%

In China, the customs administration reported that imports slid 11 percent in March from a year earlier. The median economist estimate had called for a gain of 3.9 percent.

In the U.S., the Federal Open Market Committee said that the revised forecasts for interest rates at its March 18-19 policy meeting did not mean the central bank’s policy would change, according to minutes released after European markets closed yesterday. “Several participants noted that the increase in the median projection overstated the shift in the projections,” the Fed said in the minutes.

Janet Yellen said in the press conference following the meeting that rates might start to rise about six months after the central bank halts its monthly asset purchases.

A Labor Department report showed that the number of people filing jobless claims in the world’s biggest economy fell to 300,000 in the week ended April 5. Economists had forecast a decline to 320,000.

Tryg lost 4 percent to 510.50 Danish kroner. The second-largest Nordic property and casualty insurer reported first-quarter net income of 455 million kroner ($84.7 million), missing the 516 million-krone average estimate of analysts. The company paid out 150 million kroner in large claims, more than it did in the same period a year earlier.

Iberdrola SA decreased 3.4 percent to 4.83 euros, leading a decline in utility companies. Bankia SA sold a 4.9 percent stake in Spain’s largest utility.

Royal Imtech NV tumbled 15 percent to 1.66 euros, its lowest price in 11 years. The technical-services provider said it would review all options to meet a debt-reduction target.

Vienna Insurance Group AG slid 5.8 percent to 35.42 euros as it restated its 2012 earnings following an audit of its BCR Life unit in Romania. Pretax profit fell 4.2 percent to 563.7 million euros, the insurer said in a statement.

LVMH gained 3.2 percent to 140.85 euros after reporting that first-quarter fashion and leather-goods sales climbed 9 percent on an organic basis, the fastest growth since the first quarter of 2012. Analysts had predicted growth of 6 percent.

Hays Plc gained 4.6 percent to 151.4 pence. The recruitment company reported that net fee growth increased in Asia, Europe and the U.K. in the three months through March.

U.S. stock futures were little changed as jobless claims fell to the lowest since 2007 and investors awaited earnings reports.

Global markets:

Nikkei 14,300.12 0.00%

Hang Seng 23,186.96 +1.51%

Shanghai Composite 2,134.30 +1.38%

FTSE 6,658.78 +0.35%

CAC 4,446.07 +0.08%

DAX 9,528.75 +0.24%

Crude oil $103.28 (-0.34%)

Gold $1318.90 (+0.99%)

European stocks retreated as mining companies fell after a report showed Chinese imports unexpectedly slumped last month. U.S. index futures also dropped, while Asian shares climbed.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index dropped 0.4 percent to 333.89 at 10:31 a.m. in London, erasing a gain of as much as 0.6 percent. The benchmark has fallen 1.6 percent from a six-year high on April 4 as investors sold technology stocks and the shares with the highest valuations. Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures also slipped 0.3 percent today. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index climbed 0.6 percent.

In China, a report showed that imports slid 11 percent in March. The median economist estimate had called for a gain of 3.9 percent, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

In the U.S., a Labor Department report at 8:30 a.m. in Washington will probably show that jobless claims in the world’s biggest economy in the week ended April 5 fell to 320,000, according to the median estimate of economists.

A gauge of commodity producers declined 0.9 percent.

Tryg A/S lost 4.5 percent after reporting first-quarter net income that missed analysts’ estimates.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA added 3.4 percent as the world’s largest luxury-goods company posted the fastest growth in fashion and leather-goods sales in two years.

FTSE 100 6,637.38 +1.77 +0.03%

CAC 40 4,424.25 -18.43 -0.41%

DAX 9,470.75 -35.60 -0.37%

Asian stocks rose as brokerages trading in Hong Kong climbed after China announced plans to link the Hong Kong and Shanghai bourses, outweighing an unexpected fall in exports from the region’s biggest economy. China’s customs administration said shipments from the nation declined 6.6 percent from a year earlier, compared with the median estimate for a 4.8 percent increase in a Bloomberg News survey of 47 economists. Imports fell 11.3 percent, leaving a trade surplus of $7.71 billion.

Nikkei 225 14,300.12 +0.43 0.00%

S&P/ASX 200 5,480.8 +17.02 +0.31%

Shanghai Composite 2,134.23 +28.99 +1.38%

Citic Securities Co. surged 11 percent in Hong Kong, pushing a gauge of Chinese shares listed in the city to a three-month high.

NSK Ltd. gained 3.6 percent in Tokyo after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. advised buying shares of the bearings maker.