** MORNING WRAP **
** US MARKETS **
Dow 0,29%; Nasdaq 0,31%; S&P 0,27%; Soxx -0,04%; Russel2k 0,24%; DJAIG -0,81%;
10yr Bond -0,1%; 10yr Yield 4,79%; Crude future 63,45; Gold 583,51
| Financials 0,49%| Industrials 0,38%| Technology 0,35%| ConsDisc 0,3%|
Materials 0,28%| Utilities 0,26%| Healthcare 0,2%| ConsStaples 0,13%| Energy 0%|
Telecom -0,47%
** US: IN PLAY TODAY **
- Housing Slump in U.S. May Deepen With First Price Decline Since Depression
- S&P 500’s Profit Growth Streak May End as Oil’s Decline Cuts Into Earnings
- Economic Calendar: Current Account Balance at 14:30 CET (-214B exp). Net
Foreign Security Purchases at 15:00 CET (70B exp) and the NAHB Housing Index at
19;00 CET (31 exp).
- Fed decides on interest rates next Wednesday.
** ASIAN MARKETS **
Nikkei -0,47%; Kospi 0,86%; HSI 0,92%; Taiwan 3,01%; China 0,59%; India 0,76%;
Thailand 0,22%; Australia 0,53%
** ASIAN HEADLINES **
- Yen Drops After G-7 Statement Omits Reference to Stronger Asian Currencies
- China, Japan Oppose Paulson’s Call for IMF Role in Currency Surveillance
- Asian Stocks Rise on U.S. Inflation Report; Samsung, Other Exporters Gain
- China Regulator Calls on Country’s Banks to Prepare for Yuan Fluctuations
- Thailand’s Finance Minister Thanong Says Baht Is at an Appropriate Level
- Malaysia’s Proton, Trying to Revive Sales, Has Alliance Talks With Peugeot
- Indian Government Consulting Wal-Mart to Develop Retail Policy, Nath Says
** EUROPE: IN PLAY TODAY **
- ECB Officials Say Inflation Pressures May Persist, Signaling Higher Rates
- German Investor Confidence Probably Dropped to a Five-Year Low This Month
- ABN Amro Holding NV: The biggest Dutch bank
withdrew as one of the bond firms that trade with the U.S.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the first to give up the
primary dealer designation since April 2002.
- Credit Suisse Group: The private equity unit of
Switzerland’s second-largest bank is in talks to acquire Morgan
Crucible Co., a U.K. supplier of ceramics used to make steel,
the Financial Times reported, without saying where it got the
information. The companies may announce an offer of 315 pence a
share as soon as this coming week, the paper said.
- Commerzbank AG: Germany’s second-biggest bank may
sell shares in its London-based Jupiter asset-management unit
early next year, Chief Executive Officer Klaus-Peter Mueller
said in an interview.
- Deutsche Post AG: Chief Executive Officer Klaus
Zumwinkel plans to save more than 150 million euros ($190
million) a year by cutting spending on external consultants,
Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported, without saying
where it got the information.
- Heineken NV: Shares of Europe’s third-largest
brewer may climb 15 percent as it introduces Heineken Premium
Light, beer with less alcohol and fewer calories, and expands in
Russia, Barron’s said, citing Boudewijn de Haan, asset manager
with Robeco NV.
- Royal Ahold NV: Centaurus Capital Ltd. and Paulson
& Co. are gathering support from other Royal Ahold shareholders
for a plan to either sell or split the company, NRC Handelsblad
reported, citing unidentified documents.
- Royal KPN NV: The Netherlands’ largest phone
company agreed to buy the Dutch unit of Tiscali SpA for
255 million euros to bolster its position as a provider of
broadband Internet.
- Societe Generale SA: France’s third-largest bank
agreed to buy 60 percent of Georgia’s Bank Republic as part of
its strategy to expand in central and eastern Europe.