While the U.S. exchanges fell back into the red Tuesday – the deteriorating trade balance, coupled with poor results from Alcoa weighed on the trend – Asia closed the Wednesday meeting ground largely negative. The stock index in Asia was down 1.85% at 3052.73 points, with a decline in the Nikkei 1.32%, to 10,735.03 points. The announcement yesterday by the Bank of China to raise the reserve requirement ratio to major banks and a rise in interest rates on treasury bills to one year have replenished the prospects for closer Currency in China.
In Europe, it is the hesitation that dominates. Fellowships, yet influenced the decline in the wake of other large places, managed to hang in balance or even exceed it slightly. Around 10:30 am, the CAC 40 is timidly 0.13% at 4005 points, and save the 4,000-point mark.The DAX index of 30 blue chips of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange operates similarly, from 0.13% to 5.950 points.
Macroeconomic side, the consumer prices in France rose slightly in December compared to the previous month (+0.3%) and are up 0.9% year on year, said Wednesday INSEE. In Germany, GDP dropped by 5% in 2009, after +1.3% in 2008.
At noon, the European surveys monitor monthly business survey for December. And at 16:30, the U.S. will unveil its weekly inventory of crude oil. Well after closing at night, the president's speech to the Philadelphia Fed Charles Plosser, the U.S. economic outlook will be closely followed.
Societe Generale launched a "profit warning"
On the values front, the news this early morning is the profit warning from Societe Generale.The bank said today that it expected record results "slightly" profit in the fourth quarter of 2009, below market expectations, due to the recording in the accounts of a negative impact of 1.4 billion ' euro-related assets at risk. The titles fall of 4.84%, to 49.17 euros, showing the worst performance of the ACC. In this wake, the banks are struggling. Credit Agricole (-2.28%), Dexia (-2.05%) and BNP Paribas (-1.78%) are in the end list.
Renault (+0.25%) continues to rattle the government. The state also largest shareholder, was summoned to renounce a possible relocation of the production of the Clio in Turkey raises numerous critics. Today, a meeting between Minister of Industry, Christian Estrosi, and the CEO of Renault, Patrick Pelata, is provided.The manufacturer has provided reassurance in a statement that no "decision had been taken at this stage."
Topping the charts of ACC 40, Figure Carrefour (1.54%). HSBC has initiated coverage of the title with a neutral recommendation and a target price of 37 euros. After L'Oreal (+1.42%), Pernod Ricard (+1.06%) and Danone (1%).
In contrast, Saint-Gobain fell by nearly 1.2% after seeing lowered its recommendation to "neutral" by analysts at Credit Suisse, cons "outperform" before. Schneider Electric lost 0.6%, UBS changed from "buy" cons "neutral."
On the DRS, Thales (+1.3%) is doing well.
Xiring (+9.15%) announced yesterday after market sales for the fourth quarter 2009 from 9.3 million euros, unchanged from the fourth quarter of 2008.Esker (-3.2%) for the same period, revealed an activity of 5.9 million euros (+5%).
Cellectis (+2.71%) announced the signing of a licensing agreement with Bayer HealthCare, the healthcare division of the international group Bayer.