Stocks: Wednesday’s review

Asian stocks slipped, with the benchmark index headed for its longest losing streak since August, as Spanish bond yields surged closer to levels that prompted other European countries to seek bailouts.

Nikkei 225 9,458.74 -79.28 -0.83%

Hang Seng 20,121.71 -234.53 -1.15%

S&P/ASX 200 4,246.13 -46.14 -1.07%

Shanghai Composite 2,308.92 +3.06 +0.13%

Esprit Holdings Ltd., a clothier that depends on Europe for about 80 percent of sales, fell 3.1 percent in Hong Kong.

China Shipping Development Co. slumped 8.6 percent after the commodities carrier said it may post a first-quarter loss on lower cargo rates.

Sony Corp. and Sharp Corp., Japan’s biggest makers of liquid-crystal-display televisions, dropped more than 3 percent after posting record losses amid declining TV sales and a stronger yen.

European stocks gained, rebounding from a two-month low, as banks and automakers advanced and Spain’s prime minister said the country wouldn’t need a bailout.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said Spain faces a “huge” task generating jobs and growth as it looks to rein in its budget deficit. Addressing lawmakers of his People’s Party in Madrid today, he also said he wants to make it “as clear as day” that Spain won’t need a bailout.

Spain’s 10-year borrowing costs have jumped more than 1 percentage point since March 2, when Rajoy announced that the country will miss its 2012 budget-deficit goal approved by the European Union. European Central Bank Executive Board member Benoit Coeure triggered speculation that the bank will revive its bond purchase program to lower Spain’s borrowing costs.

FTSE 100 5,634.74 +39.19 +0.70%, CAC 40 3,237.69 +20.09 +0.62%, DAX 6,674.73 +68.30 +1.03%

Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, added 2.3 percent to 34.48 euros. Barclays Plc gained 2.8 percent to 212.1 pence. Italian banks gained, with UniCredit, the country’s biggest bank, adding 5.5 percent to 3.21 euros after falling 8.1 percent yesterday. Intesa Sanpaolo SpA also rose 5.5 percent to 1.20 euros. Banca Popolare di Milano Scarl gained 5.9 percent to 34.8 euro cents.

Banco Santander SA, Spain’s largest bank, added 2 percent to 5.30 euros, Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA rose 3.8 percent to 5.60 euros. BBVA was raised to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.

Preferred shares of Volkswagen added 3 percent to 128.80 euros, after four days of losses. Europe’s largest carmaker said first-quarter auto sales rose 10.5 percent to 1.36 million units. Daimler AG added 1.2 percent to 41.31 euros. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), the world’s largest maker of luxury vehicles, gained 2.5 percent to 66.71 euros.

Norsk Hydro, a European aluminum producer, advanced 2.2 percent to 29.95 kroner after Alcoa Inc. (AA), the largest U.S. aluminum producer, reported an unexpected first-quarter profit after orders rose and it closed higher-cost smelting capacity.

Givaudan, the Swiss maker of flavors and fragrances, rose 3.7 percent to 894.50 francs. The company reported improved first-quarter sales as it continued to pass on the higher cost of raw materials including vanilla and citrus oils with increased pricing.

Nokia tumbled 14 percent to 3.27 euros, its lowest level since 1997, after the company cut its profit forecast for its handset division. The first-quarter operating margin for the devices and services business was probably minus 3 percent based on the non-IFRS accounting standard, Espoo, Finland-based Nokia said in a statement today.