Stocks: Tuesday’s review

Asian stocks outside Japan climbed as Samsung Electronics Co. rebounded from a one-month low. The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dropped for a second day as the yen gained after the Bank of Japan said it will wait until next year to start open-ended asset purchases in pursuit of a 2 percent inflation target.

Nikkei 225 10,709.93 -37.81 -0.35%

Hang Seng 23,658.99 +68.08 +0.29%

S&P/ASX 200 4,779.08 +1.58 +0.03%

Shanghai Composite 2,315.14 -13.08 -0.56%

Samsung Electronics, the first South Korean company to be worth more than $200 billion, rose 1.8 percent, erasing yesterday’s decline to the lowest since Dec. 21.

China Merchants Holdings International Ltd., a container port operator, jumped 9.4 percent after a report that the government of Shenzhen is reviewing the use of land the company co-owns.

Honda Motor Co., a Japanese carmaker that gets about 81 percent of sales overseas, dropped 2.3 percent as a stronger yen weighed on the outlook for export earnings.

European stocks were little changed as German investor confidence surged, offsetting an unexpected decline in U.S. sales of existing homes.

German investor confidence increased to the highest in 2 1/2 years in January. The ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim said its index of investor and analyst expectations, which aims to predict economic developments six months in advance, climbed to 31.5 from 6.9 in December. That’s the highest since May 2010. Economists forecast a gain to 12.

Sales of U.S. existing homes unexpectedly dropped in December, restrained by the lowest supply of properties in more than a decade.

Purchases fell 1 percent to a 4.94 million annual rate last month, the National Association of Realtors said in a report in Washington. That’s the second-highest reading since November 2009. The median forecast of 79 economists called for sales to increase to a 5.1 million rate.

In Asia, the Bank of Japan said it will shift to Federal Reserve-style open-ended asset purchases in its strongest commitment yet to ending two decades of deflation.

National benchmark indexes fell in 11 of the 18 western European markets. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 was little changed, while France’s CAC 40 slipped 0.6 percent. Germany’s DAX lost 0.7 percent.

Vivendi SA, Europe’s biggest media and telecommunications company, lost 4 percent to 16.08 euros. Stephane Roussel, chief executive officer of Vivendi’s SFR phone business, said the unit expects a tough market for as long as 18 months, according to an interview published in Le Parisien.

Rightmove Plc gained 2.8 percent to 1,599 pence as UBS AG upgraded the British property-listings website owner to buy from neutral, saying that its competitive strengths remain intact.

Opap SA rallied 5.1 percent to 6.95 euros after Greek officials met to coordinate state asset-disposal plans, which include the sale of a 33 percent stake in Greece’s biggest gambling company.

Drillisch AG jumped 3.7 percent to 12.30 euros, its highest price in more than 12 years. The German telephone-services provider said it will increase its 2012 dividend to 1 euro a share from 70 cents a year earlier.

U.S. stocks rose, following five- year highs for the benchmark indexes last week, after better- than-forecast earnings from companies including Travelers Cos. and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

Sales of U.S. existing homes unexpectedly fell 1 percent to a 4.94 million annual rate last month, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 79 economists called for sales to increase to a 5.1 million rate. The reading was still the second-highest since November 2009.

In Asia, the Bank of Japan made its strongest commitment yet to end two decades of stagnation, shifting to Federal Reserve-style open-ended asset purchases. The BOJ pledged to buy about 13 trillion yen ($145 billion) in assets a month from January 2014 and doubled its inflation target without setting a deadline.

Shares of U.S. insurer Travelers (TRV) rose 2.15% after the publication of the quarterly results. Net income fell to $ 304 million against the payments related to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, but the operating profit exceeded analysts' forecasts - 72 cents to 14 cents per share.

Quotes of the world's largest copper producer Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold rose 4.61% on news of the 16% rise in quarterly net profit, with increased production of gold and copper.

Most of the components of the index surged DOW (22 of 30). Leader was led Unitedhealth Group, Inc. (UNH , +2.68%). Maximum loss suffered shares The Coca-Cola Company (KO, -1.51%).

All sectors of the S & P showed an increase. Sector has grown more than other utilities (+1.0%).

Quotes of the Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry Research in Motion soared by 13% on the statement that the current review of the company could lead to the sale of individual units.

Stock leasing company SeaCube Container Leasing rose 14% on news that the Canadian pension fund has made an offer to purchase SeaCube Container Leasing for about $ 467 million

At the close:

Dow 13,712 +62 +0.46%

Nasdaq 3,143 +8 +0.26%