Tin tức thì trường

European stocks were little changed after last week’s biggest advance for the benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index since early February.

The gauge rose to its highest level since July last week as data from Germany to the U.S. indicated global growth is gaining momentum and the Federal Reserve raised its assessment of the world’s largest economy.

National benchmark indexes fell in eight of Europe’s 18 western markets. France’s CAC 40 Index lost 0.5 percent. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index and Germany’s DAX Index slipped 0.1 percent each.

Standard Life fell 1.2 percent to 247.7 pence, snapping a five-day rally. Credit Suisse Group AG downgraded Scotland’s biggest insurer to underperform from neutral, equivalent to a sell recommendation.

DSV retreated 2 percent to 131.30 kroner after UBS AG lowered its rating for the transport and logistic company to neutral from buy.

TNT Express NV also advanced 1.1 percent to 9.44 euros after United Parcel Service Inc. sweetened its bid to 5.16 billion euros.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced to the highest level since May 2008 as Apple Inc. plans to pay a dividend and buy back $10 billion of its stock. Today’s gain extended this year’s rally in the S&P 500 to 12 percent. The measure is on pace for the best first quarter since 1998 amid better-than-estimated economic and corporate reports and expectations Europe would tame its debt crisis. It trades at 14.6 times reported earnings, the highest valuation level since July while still below the average since 1954 of 16.4 times earnings.

Dow 13,264.94     +32.32 +0.24%, Nasdaq      3,083.49       +28.23 +0.92%, S&P 500   1,413.35       +9.18         +0.65%

Apple gained 2.3 percent to $598.95 today. Investors will receive a quarterly dividend of $2.65 a share starting in the period beginning July 1, Cupertino, California-based Apple said in a statement. The buybacks will begin in the fiscal year starting Sept. 30 and will take place over three years, the company said.

Apple’s cash pile has swelled amid surging demand for its products, such as the iPhone and iPad. Investors had urged Apple to return some of the balance in the form a dividend. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook fueled speculation an announcement might be coming when he said this year that Apple had “more than we need to run a company,” and that the board was considering its options.

Bank of America (ВАС) increased 1.7 percent, the biggest gain in the Dow, to $9.97. The shares have surged 25 percent in five days, the most since Aug. 30.

Citigroup jumped 4.2 percent to $38.22. The third-largest U.S. bank sold its 2.71 percent stake in Shanghai Pudong Development Bank to institutional investors, generating after- tax proceeds of about $349 million.

Morgan Stanley rallied 4.2 percent to $20.35. The owner of the world’s largest brokerage is planning its first corporate bond sale since October after the cost to protect its bonds from default dropped by almost 50 percent in the past four months.

U.S. Steel rose the most in the S&P 500, gaining 7.2 percent to $31.89. The country’s largest producer of the metal by volume should benefit from a recovery in steel prices, UBS AG said in a note.

UPS added 3.8 percent to $81.38. The company raised its offer for TNT Express NV by 5.6 percent to 5.16 billion euros ($6.8 billion) to secure the biggest deal in the U.S. company’s 105-year history.

Resistance 3:1440 (high of May’2008)

Resistance 2:1410 (high of June’2008)

Resistance 1:1402 (session high)

Current price: 1399,25

Support 1:1394 (session low, Mar 16 low)

Support 2:1384 (Mar 14 low)

Support 3:1377 (Feb 29 and Mar 1-2 highs)

U.S. stock futures declined as concern the rally which lifted the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to an almost four-year high has outpaced economic prospects.

Apple Inc. rose 0.1% as the world’s largest technology company announced plans to initiate a dividend and authorized a $10 billion buyback.

Global stocks:

Nikkei  10,141.99 +12.16 +0.12%

Hang Seng 21,115.29 -202.56 -0.95%

Shanghai Composite 2,410.18 +5.45 +0.23%

FTSE  5,940.16 -25.42 -0.43%

CAC  3,565.77 -29.06 -0.81%

DAX 7,107.04 -50.78 -0.71%

Crude oil: $107.87 (+0,8%).

Gold $1655.50 (-0,1%).

Asian stocks swung between gains and losses as U.S. jobs and manufacturing data added to signs the world’s biggest economy is recovering. Gains were limited as Japanese exporters fell amid a rebound in the yen.

Nikkei 225 10,129.83 +6.55 +0.06%

Hang Seng 21,317.85 -35.68 -0.17%

S&P/ASX 200 4,276.16 -1.61 -0.04%

Shanghai Composite 2,404.74 +30.96 +1.30%

Li & Fung Ltd. rose 3.1 percent in Hong Kong after Goldman Sachs Group Inc. recommended buying shares of supplier to Wal- Mart Stores Inc.

Honda Motor Co., Japan’s second-largest carmaker by market value, dropped 0.6 percent.

Hyundai Wia Corp. slumped 5.1 percent in Seoul after South Korean automakers sold shares in the parts manufacturer at a discount.

Resistance 3: Y84.80 (Apr 12 high)

Resistance 2: Y84.20 (Mar 15 high)

Resistance 1: Y83.55 (session high)

The current price: Y83.40

Support 1: Y83.15 (Mar 15-16 low)

Support 2: Y82.65 (low of the American session on Mar 13)

Support 3: Y81.95 (Mar 13 low)

Resistance 3: Chf0.9335 (Mar 15 high)

Resistance 2: Chf0.9255 (Mar 16 high)

Resistance 1: Chf0.9200 (Mar 15 low)

The current price: Chf0.9165

Support 1: Chf0.9145 (session low)

Support 2: Chf0.9105 (low of the American session on Mar 9)

Support 3: Chf0.9070 (Mar 8 low)