Analytics, News, and Forecasts for CFD Markets: stock news — 31-12-2014.

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed on the last trading day of a year that capped the biggest bull market since the 1990s. Entering today's session, the S&P 500 is up 12.6%, the Nasdaq Composite is up 14.4% and the Dow Jones industrial Average is up 8.5%.

Global markets:

Shanghai Composite 3,233.96 +68.15 +2.15%

FTSE 6,566.09 +19.09 +0.29%

CAC 4,272.75 +27.21 +0.64%

Stock markets in Japan and Germany were closed today.

Crude oil $52.67 (-2.61%)

Gold $1198.80 (-0.14%)

(company / ticker / price / change, % / volume)

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Honeywell (HON) target raised from $105 to $115 Jefferies

European indices added gains in a shortened session as volumes thin out near the end of the year. The DAX 30 is closed for the whole day. Trading on the London Stock Exchange will end at 12:30 GMT, Paris will close 30 minutes later. Today markets await data from the U.S. on Initial Jobless Claims, the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index, Pending Home Sales and Crude Oil Inventories.

In today's session the FTSE 100 index added +0.20% quoted at 6,559.87 points set for a yearly loss of -2.7% due to its high exposure to the energy and commodities sectors. France's CAC 40 rose +0.66% trading at 4,273.67. Yesterday the DAX 30 closed at 9,805.55 points, a loss of 1.22% ending the year with a gain of 2.65%.

European indices add gains in a shortened session although declining oil prices and political uncertainty in Greece weighed on the markets yesterday. The DAX 30 is closed for the whole day. Trading on the London Stock Exchange will end at 12:30 GMT, Paris will close 30 minutes later. Today markets await data from the U.S. on Initial Jobless Claims, the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index, Pending Home Sales and Crude Oil Inventories.

The FTSE 100 index is currently trading +0.32% quoted at 6,567.65 points, France's CAC 40 added +0.40%, currently trading at 4,262.51 points in thin holiday trading conditions. Yesterday the DAX 30 closed at 9,805.55 points, a loss of 1.22% ending the year with a gain of 2.65%.

U.S. stocks closed lower on Tuesday with the DOW JONES falling below the 18,000 milestone as the political turmoil in Greece and falling oil prices weighed. The DOW JONES lost -0.31% closing at 17,983.07. The S&P 500 declined by -0.49% with a final quote of 2,080.35. U.S. data showed Consumer Confidence rebounding below estimates. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index was better-than expected with a reading of +4.5% for october but below the +4.8% in September. Today markets await Initial Jobless Claims, the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index, Pending Home Sales and Crude Oil Inventories.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained +0.44% closing at 23,605.04 points. China's Shanghai Composite rallied to a close at 3,233.96 points, a plus of +2.15% for the day and a gain of 52.9% for 2014. China's HSBC Manufacturing PMI rose from 49.5 to 49.6 beating estimates by 0.1 but still indicating a decrease in activity with a reading below 50.

Japan's Nikkei slipped -1.57% closing at 17,450.77 finishing the year with a plus of 7.12% fuelled by the BoJ assest purchases and a weakening Japanese yen.

(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei 225 17,450.77 -279.07 -1.57%

Shanghai Composite 3,165.81 -2.20 -0.07%

Topix 1,407.51 -17.16 -1.20%

FTSE 100 6,547 -86.51 -1.30%

CAC 40 4,245.54 -72.39 -1.68%

Xetra DAX 9,805.55 -121.58 -1.22%

S&P 500 2,080.35 -10.22 -0.49%

NASDAQ Composite 4,777.44 -29.47 -0.61%

Dow Jones 17,983.07 -55.16 -0.31%