Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 15-02-2013.

European stocks were little changed as companies from PPR SA to Aker Solutions ASA reported earnings and finance ministers and central bankers from the Group of 20 nations met in Moscow.

PPR surged to an 11-year high after the French owner of Gucci reported profit that topped estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index slipped 0.2 percent to 287.34 at the close of trade in London.

A report showed American consumer confidence increased more than estimated this month. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary February index of sentiment rose to 76.3 from 73.8 the prior month. The gauge was projected to rise to 74.8, according to the median forecast.

National benchmark indexes rose in eight of the 18 western- European markets today.

FTSE 100 6,328.26 +0.90 +0.01% CAC 40 3,660.37 -9.23 -0.25% DAX 7,593.51 -37.68 -0.49%

PPR jumped 7.6 percent to 172 euros, the highest price since July 2001. The company’s so-called recurring operating income climbed 19 percent to 1.79 billion euros. The average estimate analysts called for 1.75 billion euros. The company said it expects its performance to improve further in 2013.

Eni SpA rose 2.1 percent to 17.69 euros. Italy’s biggest oil company proposed a 2012 dividend of 1.08 euros a share, up from 1.04 euros the previous year, even as Eni reported a 3.6 percent decline in fourth-quarter adjusted net income to 1.52 billion euros ($2 billion).

Anglo American Plc gained 1.3 percent to 2,039 pence. Full- year earnings per share amounted to $2.26, topping the average analyst projection for $1.92,

Gerresheimer AG advanced 3.9 percent to 43.17 euros, the highest price since it sold shares to the public in June 2007, after CA Cheuvreux and Kepler Capital Markets raised their recommendations for the stock.

Aker Solutions fell 11 percent to 107 kroner. The oil- services provider controlled by billionaire Kjell Inge Roekke reported fourth-quarter net income of 504 million kroner ($91 million), missing the average analyst projection that called for 678.6 million kroner.

U.S. stock futures were little changed as Group of 20 finance chiefs met and a report showed manufacturing in the New York area unexpectedly expanded.

Global Stocks:

Downgrade:
General Motors (GM) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Craig Hallum

European stocks were little changed as companies from Aker Solutions ASA to PPR SA reported earnings and finance chiefs from the Group of 20 nations meet in Moscow.

G-20 finance ministers and central bankers begin talks in Moscow today with investors seeking clarity on how comfortable they are with a sliding yen.

Japan is in the spotlight after the yen tumbled about 12 percent in the past three months on the bet that new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will pursue a more aggressive monetary policy. That has led to concern that he’s chasing a cheaper yen, potentially triggering a currency war with other countries.

Aker Solutions fell 9 percent to 109 kroner. The oil- services provider controlled by billionaire Kjell Inge Roekke reported fourth-quarter net income of 504 million kroner ($91 million), missing the average analyst projection that called for 678.6 million kroner.

LSE slumped 98 pence to 1,243 pence. The exchange operator which has agreed to buy as much as 60 percent of LCH.Clearnet under renegotiated terms, tumbled the most since September after the clearinghouse posted earnings that RBC called “weak.”

Darty Plc, the owner of France’s biggest consumer- electronics chain, tumbled 8 percent to 45.75 pence after saying it is in danger of missing annual profit estimates. Sales weakened toward the end of the three months through January, while high levels of promotional activity are harming profitability, the London-based company said today. Should conditions persist, adjusted pretax profit for the year ending April 30 may fail to reach the lower end of analyst estimates of about 30 million euros ($40 million).

FTSE 100 6,322.5 -4.86 -0.08%

CAC 40 3,667.48 -2.12 -0.06%

DAX 7,613.73 -17.46 -0.23%

Asian stocks fell, with Japan’s Topix Index snapping the longest weekly winning streak in 40 years, as the yen rose and profit reports from Trend Micro Inc. and Rio Tinto Group disappointed investors.

Nikkei 225 11,173.83 -133.45 -1.18%

Hang Seng 23,444.56 +31.31 +0.13%

S&P/ASX 200 5,033.92 -2.96 -0.06%

Shanghai Composite Closed

Rio Tinto declined 2.7 percent in Sydney after the miner reported its biggest loss in at least 15 years.

Trend Micro tumbled 6.1 percent after the Japanese anti-virus software maker’s net income fell 23 percent.

Auckland International Airport Ltd. slumped the most in four years after a New Zealand pension fund reduced its stake in the nation’s busiest terminal.

Asian stocks rose after the Bank of Japan maintained its asset purchasing program before its governor steps down next month amid speculation an unexpected contraction in Japan’s economy in the fourth quarter will boost efforts to end deflation.

Nikkei 225 11,307.28 +55.87 +0.50%

Hang Seng Closed

S&P/ASX 200 5,036.88 +33.22 +0.66%

Shanghai Composite Closed

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. advanced 5.8 percent as the biggest beer maker in Japan by market share said it will buy back as much as 4.3 percent of its stock and forecast profit will rise 15 percent.

Alumina Ltd. soared 7.5 percent in Sydney after Citic Resources Holdings Ltd. agreed to buy a stake in the company for A$452 million ($468 million).

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. lost 2.2 percent as earnings declined on charges at its Australian and Philippine businesses.

Most European stocks declined as reports showed the economies of the euro area and Japan shrank in the fourth quarter, outweighing a decrease in American jobless claims.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index retreated 0.2 percent to 287.79 at the close, paring an earlier drop of as much as 0.6 percent, as releases showed the economies of Germany, France and Italy all contracted more than estimated.

Euro area gross domestic product fell 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter from the previous three months, the European Union’s statistics office in Luxembourg said. That exceeded the 0.4 percent median estimate. The German economy, Europe’s largest, shrank 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter, while French GDP fell 0.3 percent. Italy’s economy shrank 0.9 percent. All contractions exceeded the median forecasts of economists. In Japan, GDP dropped an annualized 0.4 percent, following a revised 3.8 percent decline in the previous quarter, the Cabinet Office said. The median forecast of economists called for 0.4 percent growth.

National benchmark indexes fell in 13 of the 18 western European markets.

FTSE 100 6,327.36 -31.75 -0.50% CAC 40 3,669.6 -28.93 -0.78% DAX 7,631.19 -80.70 -1.05%

Nestle dropped 2.3 percent to 63 Swiss francs. The company said its sales excluding acquisitions, disposals and currency changes increased 5.9 percent in 2012. That was less than the 6 percent average estimate of analysts.

Britvic Plc lost 7.1 percent to 390 pence, a 10-week low. The U.K. distributor of Pepsi was downgraded at Societe Generale SA, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Barclays Plc. A.G. Barr Plc called off its planned acquisition of Britvic yesterday after the Office of Fair Trading referred the deal to the Competition Commission.

Bankia SA, the lender recently ejected from Spain’s benchmark IBEX 35 Index, slumped 12 percent to 41 euro cents. The bank will convert bonds to equity at 1 euro cent per share as part of its reorganization, Expansion reported.

Renault advanced 7.7 percent to 46.50 euros, its biggest gain since September 2011. France’s second-largest carmaker said earnings before interest, taxes and one-time items totaled 729 million euros ($971.5 million). That beat the 698 million-euro average estimate.

ABB rose 5.6 percent to 20.81 francs, its biggest advance in 18 months, after reporting earnings that surpassed analyst estimates. The world’s largest maker of power transformers said it will continue to focus on cutting costs this year amid an uncertain economic outlook.

BNP Paribas SA gained 2 percent to 46.75 euros. The bank plans to reduce its annual cost base by 2 billion euros by 2015. BNP plans to increase its dividend to 1.50 euros a share from 1.20 euros a year earlier.

Indexes retreated from session lows, closed trading multidirectional dynamics

Futures for premarket snizhadis, indicating a negative start trading on the major U.S. stock exchanges. Today's film due to increased concerns about the situation in the European economy against the background of published data, which recorded a larger-than-expected decline in GDP in the region.

Decrease in the indices restricted better than expected data on the number of applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. (341 thousand vs. 361 thousand), as well as reports on mergers / acquisitions.

As for the latter, they are specific to companies HJ Heinz and American Airlines.

H.J. Heinz: Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital bought sauces and ketchup manufacturer HJ Heinz for $ 28 billion, noted that an agreement has been signed, but the deal is subject to approval by shareholders Heinz, requires obtaining regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed in the 3rd quarter of 2013.

American Airlines: American Airlines Flight and US Airways merger agreement, in which you will create the world's largest air carrier (more than a thousand ships, about 6.5 thousand flights a day). The new company will retain the name American Airlines.

DOW index components show a mixed trend. More than the others fell in the share price The Coca-Cola Company (KO, -1.13%). Leader with shares in Alcoa, Inc. (AA, +2.80%).

Most sectors of the S & P showing a negative trend. Leading sector of consumer goods (+0.2%). Below is the rest of the sector and utilities (-0.8%).

At the close:

Dow -9.37 13,973.54 -0.07%

Nasdaq +1.78 3,198.66 +0.06%

Change % Change Last

Nikkei 225 11,307.28 +55.87 +0.50%

Hang Seng Closed

S&P/ASX 200 5,036.88 +33.22 +0.66%

Shanghai Composite Closed

CAC 40 3,669.6 -28.93 -0.78%

DAX 7,631.19 -80.70 -1.05%

Dow -9.37 13,973.54 -0.07%

Nasdaq +1.78 3,198.66 +0.06%

S&P +1.06 1,521.39 +0.07%