Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 31-03-2014.

European advanced, after the biggest weekly gain in more than a month, as investors awaited economic data out of Europe and America later this week.

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said the central bank’s unprecedented accommodation will be needed for “some time” as the labor market is still recovering. Investors await payroll data due April 4, which will probably show that hiring accelerated in March, according to economists’ forecasts compiled by Bloomberg.

Separate reports this week may show that manufacturing in the world’s largest economy expanded further this month, while factory orders rebounded in February, according to economists’ forecasts in Bloomberg News surveys.

On April 3, the European Central Bank will probably maintain its key interest rate at a record low of 0.25 percent, economists’ projections show.

In Germany, a report showed today that retail sales rose 1.3 percent last month after a revised 1.7 percent gain in January. Economists in a Bloomberg News survey had forecast a 0.5 percent drop for February. Separate data showed inflation in the euro area slowed this month more than forecast, keeping pressure on the ECB to take action.

National benchmark indexes advanced in 15 of the 18 western-European markets today. France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.5 percent, while Germany’s DAX and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 each dropped 0.3 percent.

Novartis gained 3.5 percent, the most since January 2013, to 75 Swiss francs. The company ended the drug trial early as the results showed patients treated with it lived longer without being hospitalized for heart failure than those who received standard treatment. Novartis will ask global regulators for marketing approval for the drug.

Monte dei Paschi jumped 4.9 percent to 26.5 euro cents. Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena said it agreed to sell a 6.5 percent stake in the Italian bank to Fintech Advisory Inc. and BTG Pactual Europe LLP. Antonella Mansi, the foundation’s chairman, said the investor pact creates a stable, strategic shareholding for the lender. The non-profit foundation sold 12 percent of Monte dei Paschi earlier this month as it sought to reduce debt.

ING Groep NV climbed 2.8 percent to 10.28 euros after saying it intends to resume dividend payments as soon as next year after a five-year pause. The Dutch financial-services company will pay a dividend over 2015 after fully repaying a 2008 government bailout by next May at the latest. Dividend payouts should grow to at least 40 percent of net income by 2017, ING said.

Drillisch AG added 2.8 percent to 26.34 euros. Chief Executive Officer Paschalis Choulidis told Welt am Sonntag the provider of phone services may pay a special dividend or buy back shares if it doesn’t make acquisitions by 2015.

U.S. stock-index futures rose, investors await a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

Global markets:

Nikkei 14,827.83 +0.90%

Hang Seng 22,151.06 +0.39%

Shanghai Composite 2,033.31 -0.41%

FTSE 6,635.48 +0.30%

CAC 4,416.34 +0.12%

DAX 9,612.43 +0.26%

Crude oil $101.47 (-0.20%)

Gold $1292.30 (-0.12%).

European stocks were little changed , after the biggest weekly gain in more than a month , as investors awaited economic data from Europe and America at the end of this week. Futures on American stock indexes and Asian shares rose .

Little influenced by the data for the euro area , namely inflation . As it became known , the annual inflation rate in the euro zone fell again in March , beating with the average forecasts of experts , and the lowest level since late 2009 . According to a report in the March consumer price index rose by 0.5 % from March 2013 , compared with a gain of 0.7 % a month earlier , and estimates at 0.6 .

The data also showed that the cost of energy in the eurozone fell in March by 2.1 % after declining 2.3% in February. Food, alcohol and tobacco products rose by 1 % after rising 1.5 % the previous month .

Core CPI , which excludes vollatilnye items such as energy and food prices , growth slowed to 0.8% from 1.0% in February.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index gained 0.1 percent. Last week, the sensor increased by 1.8 percent .

Now switch to the attention of investors reports on business activity in the manufacturing industry and services the United States, as well as the March unemployment in the U.S. , which will be released this week.

Will also be an important meeting of the European Central Bank, which is likely to keep its key interest rate at a record low - 0.25 percent .

Shares of Novartis AG - Swiss pharmaceutical company , rose 3.2%. The company announced positive results of the last phase of clinical trials of the drug to compensate for chronic heart failure.

The cost of the Dutch ING Groep NV increased by 2.4 % , as it became known that the FCCU intends to repay the bailout state loan no later than May 2015 and in the same year to resume the payment of dividends to shareholders.

Quotes Drillish AG - German telephone service provider , rose 2.4 % on expectations of a special dividend or share repurchases.

Cost of Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA jumped 9 percent after the biggest investor said he sells an additional share .

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,624.58 +9.00 +0.14 %

CAC 40 4,405.26 -6.00 -0.14%

DAX 9,582.1 -5.09 -0.05%

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index heading for its fourth straight daily gain, as consumer shares led advances. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen speaks in Chicago today as investors await payrolls data due later in the week to assess the outlook for U.S. interest rates.

Nikkei 225 14,827.83 +131.80 +0.90%

S&P/ASX 200 5,394.8 +27.86 +0.52%

Shanghai Composite 2,036.48 -5.24 -0.26%

Eclat Textile Co., which sells fabrics and garments, rose 7 percent in Taiwan, the most among the MSCI Asia Pacific Index group tracking consumer discretionary shares.

Samsung SDI Co., a South Korean supplier of batteries to Apple Inc., jumped 8 percent, after it agreed to buy Cheil Industries Inc.

Mazda Motor Corp., a Japanese automaker that gets about 30 percent of its revenue in North America, gained 4.1 percent.