Stocks: Friday’s review

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index headed for a one-week low, as raw-material suppliers dropped after commodities entered a bear market and reports on U.S. home sales and manufacturing missed estimates. Nikkei 225 8,798.35 -25.72 -0.29% Hang Seng 18,982.63 -282.44 -1.47% S&P/ASX 200 4,048.2 -39.37 -0.96% Shanghai Composite 2,260.88 -32.00 -1.40% BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s biggest mining company, slipped 2.1 percent in Sydney. Samsung Electronics Co., the largest mobile-phone maker by sales, fell 3.7 percent in Seoul. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., Japan’s No. 1 lender, lost 1.1 percent in Tokyo after 15 global banks were downgraded by Moody’s Investors Service. U.S. stocks rose, after yesterday’s selloff, as the downgrade of global banks by Moody’s Investors Service was followed by rallies in financial shares while the European Central Bank announced changes to its lending program. Morgan Stanley (MS) advanced 1.1 percent after the ratings firm cut the bank by two levels rather than a threatened three grades. Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and Citigroup Inc. (C), which were lowered to within two levels of junk, rose at least 0.4 percent. Facebook Inc. (FB) rallied 3 percent after Nomura Holdings Inc. recommended buying the biggest social-networking company. None of the financial firms was cut more than Moody’s had forecast. Morgan Stanley’s long-term senior unsecured debt rating was reduced two grades to Baa1. The downgrades left Citigroup and Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America as the lowest-rated banks among the 15 at Baa2. The prospect of downgrades had weighed on banks since Moody’s said Feb. 15 it was reviewing 17 banks with capital- markets operations because of fragile confidence and tighter regulations that pinched revenue. Pressure mounted as Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis intensified. As part of the index DOW almost all companies show a positive trend. The leaders of the growth of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM, +1,85%) and Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK, +1.75%) losing more than just Walt Disney Co (DIS), whose shares fell by 0.84%. Branches in the context of the S & P 500 in all sectors, except for one in the "green" zone. Best of all look the health sector (0.7%) and technology (+0.6%). Reducing shows only sector conglomerate (-0.1%)