Speed astern for U.S. equity markets. The indices are clearly stalled after the TV overseas, including financial, broadcast live images of demonstrations in Egypt. "This aversion to risk due to escalation in Egypt, and fears that the situation could spread to other countries in the region," said Peter Cardillo, Avalon Partners.
At the close, the Dow Jones lost 1.38% to 11,823.80 points, the S & P 500 1276.36 1.78% to loose points and the Nasdaq dropped 2.47% to 2687.09 points.
As a result, oil prices leapt more than 4% in New York at 89.34 dollars.
USA: disappointing growth, consumer sentiment up
On the macroeconomic front, investors first learned of the first estimate of U.S. GDP in the fourth quarter.The U.S. economy grew by 3.2% in the fourth quarter, much lower than expected, but this increase was sufficient to allow the U.S. GDP of 2.9% gain in 2010 and thus fill its losses the crisis, according to official figures published Friday.
And yet the U.S. consumer morale has improved end of January compared to the beginning of the month, hopes for improvement in terms of growth and employment eclipsing concerns about rising costs of food and gasoline, according to the confidence index released Friday by Reuters / University of Michigan. The index finally settled at 74.2 for the month of January, against an initial estimate 72.7 and 74.5 in December.Economists were expecting a index to 73.2.
On the currency side, the dollar regained ground against the euro by mid-afternoon in Paris, the single currency was trading at 1.3688 dollar.
Ford stock drops
Corporate side, the ball of results announcements of fourth quarter continues, including Chevron Corp. and Ford Motor Co and Honeywell.
Ford: -13.47% to 16.26 dollars
Ford just announced a 2010 profit more than doubled to 6.6 billion. But earnings per share fourth quarter was $ 0.05 against 0.25 a year ago due to a charge of $ 960 million related to the completion of a conversion of debt. The turnover of the 4th quarter reached $ 32.5 billion.The consensus was $ 0.48 for earnings per share and 30.39 billion dollars.
Honeywell International: -1.16% to 55.27 dollars
Honeywell International announced, meanwhile, increased its profits for the fourth quarter of 2010 and raised its forecast for 2011 due to higher demand for products produced by all its units. The industrial group posted a net profit of 369 million over the period, or $ 0 pay day loans.47 per share, against 150 million ($ 0.20 per share) a year ago. Honeywell raised its forecast of 10 cents earnings per share for 2011, now seen in the range 3.60 to $ 3.80.
Chevron: -1.45% to 93.38 dollars
As for Chevron, the group recorded a 81% increase in earnings in 2010 to 19.1 billion.
Amazon.com: -7.22% to 171.14 dollars
The e-commerce giant Amazon.com for its part should be very guarded on Friday, after posting yesterday after market close, the results showing strong sales but margins disappointing. All indicators are green on the year-end sales on the Internet and the action of the group posted an increase of 50% yoy and 4% on the previous day, before the publication of results that the have reduced by 9.4% in electronic trading after closing. The group announced a profit of $ 416 million, or 91 cents per share against 384 million last year. Sales are up 36% to 12.95 billion dollars. That's their strongest growth since 2000.
Microsoft: -3.88% to 27.75 dollars
Microsoft surprised everyone involved on Thursday night, unveiling its results 15 minutes before the close of Wall Street.Results marked by the success of Office 2010 and KINECTS, but disappointing sales of Windows 7. This gives the arrival of mixed results. Profits are down 5% to 6.63 billion, or 77 cents per share against 68 cents expected. Turnover was up 5% at $ 19.95 billion against $ 19.2 billion expected by analysts.
Sara Lee: -2.61% to 17.18 dollars
On the other hand, the American group of FMCG Sara Leevi clarify this Friday's market strategy, after having rejected, according to press reports, two tender offers. Sara Lee has invited investors and journalists to participate in a conference call at 15:00 Paris time.Inform the direction of its "strategic initiatives" and its outlook for the year end.
In addition, LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, announced Thursday his intention to go public in 2011, an operation that should measure the appetite of investors for a possible listing on Facebook. This is the first social network to enter the stock market and on Wall Street. But the market is expected to mainly derive an omen for Facebook, the world leader in the industry, whose value is estimated at 50 billion dollars (36.5 billion euros), and other websites may make their entry offering, or as Zynga Groupon.