Tin tức thì trường

Major US stock indexes finished the session near the zero mark amid a decline in investor activity on the eve of the New Year.

A certain influence on the course of trading was provided by the US data. As it became known, the index of consumer confidence from the Conference Board fell in December after a slight improvement in November. The index is now 122.1 (1985 = 100), compared with 128.6 in November. The index of the current situation increased from 154.9 to 156.6, and the index of expectations fell from 111.0 last month to 99.1 this month.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that unfinished transactions for the sale of housing in November rose by 0.2%. The index of unfinished transactions for the sale of housing from the NAR tracks transactions with real estate, in which the contract is signed, but the transaction is not yet closed. The November growth was much better than the consensus forecast of economists, who expected a decrease of 0.5%. The index was 109.5, where 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity in 2001. This is 0.8% higher than a year ago.

Components of the DOW index showed mixed dynamics (15 in positive territory, 15 in negative territory). Leader of growth were shares of Visa Inc. (V, + 0.91%). Outsider were the shares of NIKE, Inc. NKE, -1.10%).

Most sectors of the S & P index finished trading in the red. The largest decrease was shown by the sector of conglomerates (-0.6%). The utilities sector grew most (+ 0.4%).

At closing:

DJIA + 0.11% 24.774.16 +27.95

Nasdaq + 0.04% 6,939.34 +3.09

S & P + 0.08% 2.682.59 +2.09

U.S. stock-index futures were slightly higher on Wednesday, supported by a surge in commodity prices. Overall, the situation in the market remains rather calm, reminding investors that the week between Christmas and New Year's Day tends to be the slowest in terms of trading activity.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei 22,911.21 +18.52 +0.08%

Hang Seng 29,597.66 +19.65 +0.07%

Shanghai 3,275.40 -30.73 -0.93%

S&P/ASX 6,069.90 +0.20 0.00%

FTSE 7,611.59 +18.93 +0.25%

CAC 5,366.77 +2.05 +0.04%

DAX 13,062.82 -9.97 -0.08%

Crude $59.45 (-0.87%)

Gold $1,288.30 (+0.06%)

Wall Street. Stocks before the bell

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

Asian indexes were mixed Wednesday in quiet holiday trading after oil prices erased some of its recent gains and the region generally shrugged off the dip in technology stocks on Wall Street.

U.S. stocks finished slightly lower Tuesday as a decline in Apple Inc. more than offset postholiday gains in the retail sector and a surge in crude-oil futures that took the commodity to a 2½-year high.

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

NIKKEI 22892.69 -46.49 -0.20%

SHANGHAI 3305.89 +25.43 +0.78%

KOSPI 2427.34 -13.20 -0.54%

DJIA 24,746.48 -7.58 -0.03%

Nasdaq 6,936.25 -23.71 -0.34%

S&P 2,680.50 -2.84 -0.11%