🐂 Not all bull runs are created equal. November’s AI picks include 5 stocks up +20% eachUnlock Stocks

GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares, oil slip as recovery hopes wane

Published 09/18/2009, 04:58 PM
Updated 09/18/2009, 05:02 PM
UK100
-
C
-
GC
-
CL
-

* U.S. shares buck global trend, rise on stock upgrades

* U.S. dollar climbs as appetite for risk wanes again

* Oil falls toward $72 a barrel as dollar gains

* Bonds ease as issuance concerns fill data void (Updates with close of U.S. markets)

By Herbert Lash

NEW YORK, Sept 18 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on corporate profit hopes, but global equities faltered and crude oil slipped toward $72 a barrel on Friday, as the U.S. dollar rebounded from a one-year low on waning risk appetite.

Oil fell as dealers took profits from a 5 percent rally earlier in the week and the dollar rose as investors trimmed their positions ahead of holidays in Japan and Singapore next week. For details see [ID:nN18534676] and [ID:nN18264635].

Analysts said a lack of conviction that the global economic downturn was indeed ending had dragged down oil and some equity markets on expectations that fuel demand could stay weak.

World equities came under pressure after scaling an 11-month peak as investors took stock of recent hefty gains. The MSCI all-country world index <.MIWD00000PUS> fell 0.2 percent after touching a high last seen in early October.

But Wall Street rebounded from earlier losses as investors bet the recovery will be strong enough to sustain corporate profits. Procter & Gamble and major homebuilders advanced on positive brokerage comments. [ID:nN18266846]

For the week, all three major U.S. stock gauges rose more than 2 percent.

"On a short-term basis the market is due for a pause, but the underlying tone of the market and the economy is positive at present," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist at RDM Financial in Westport, Connecticut.

Procter & Gamble Co jumped 3.2 percent to $57.32 after a Citigroup upgrade to "buy" on news P&G is ready to cut prices to regain market share. P&G was the top boost to the 30-stock Dow Jones industrial average. [ID:nBNG419626]

The Dow <.DJI> closed up 36.28 points, or 0.37 percent, at 9,820.20. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 2.81 points, or 0.26 percent, at 1,068.30. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> rose 6.11 points, or 0.29 percent, at 2,132.86.

Analysts said the trend for broad dollar weakness was likely to persist. The dollar has sold off sharply this month as investors shifted into riskier assets on increasing signs of a global recovery. The prospect of low U.S. yields and concerns about the U.S. fiscal deficit have fueled dollar selling.

"Today overall has been a retracement day and a profit-taking day," said Andrew Busch, a global FX strategist at BMO Capital Markets in Chicago. "(But) I don't see anything on the horizon just yet that would take us out of this sell-the-U.S.-dollar mode."

U.S. crude for October delivery fell 43 cents to settle at $72.04 a barrel, while London Brent fell 23 cents to $71.32.

U.S. Treasury debt prices slipped as dealers cut prices to clear out inventory before underwriting the auction of $112 billion in new notes next week. [ID:nN18534676]

Bond losses widened in thin afternoon trade as participants left for the weekend and for religious observance. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year holiday, begins Friday evening.

U.S. government debt sagged on the prospect of heavy supply. Benchmark 10-year notes fell 26/32 in price to yield 3.49 percent.

"People looked ahead to next week's supply and there is still some talk that the Fed will tighten monetary policy sooner than some people thought and that there is a greater divergence of opinion on the FOMC than most people thought," said Cary Leahey, economist at Decision Economics in New York.

Gold ended lower on profit taking, capping a volatile week in which the metal set an all-time high of $1,030.80 an ounce as a steadily falling dollar boosted investment demand.

U.S. December gold futures settled down $3.20 at $1,010.30 an ounce in New York. [ID:nLI152781]

European shares pulled back from an 11-month high set on Thursday as commodity stocks slipped, but Britain's leading share index logged a sixth straight session of gains, supported by an early rise on Wall Street.

The FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> of top European shares closed 0.5 percent lower at 1,006.50.

The FTSE 100 <.FTSE> in London closed up 0.2 percent at 5,172.89, another 12-month closing high.

Asian stocks retreated from 13-month highs as a conflicting picture about the strength of a U.S. economic recovery stopped investors from extending this week's rally.

The Nikkei index <.N225> fell 0.7 percent, breaking a three-day rally, while the MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks traded outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> dipped 0.6 percent. (Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak, Nick Olivari and Pedro Nicolaci da Costa in New York and Chris Baldwin and Dominic Lau in London; Writing by Herbert Lash; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.