The U.S. trading session began with the volatile movements of the indexes in both directions, but shortly after investors reacted instantaneously with sales of shares on news of strong second earthquake in Japan. The price-weighted Dow Jones IA index fell the most with 0.5 percent to 12,369 points in the first 90 minutes of trade. The broader index S & P 500 lost 0.3 percent to 1332 points, and Nasdaq stock index leading Nasdaq Composite gave up 0.2 percent to 2795 points. An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale has shaken today Miyagi Prefecture, and then alert the authorities have declared the tsunami in coastal regions, writes Wall Street Journal. Shortly before the decision of the European Central Bank to increase interest rates reminded investors of growing inflation risks, which raised the price of gold to a record 1,463 dollars an ounce. The U.S. economic data out today showed that the number of Americans who have applied for the first time applications for unemployment benefits last week fell slightly by 10 thousand to 382 thousand. The data are slightly better than market expectations. Shortly before the end of the session and go to Federal Reserve data on consumer credit in the U.S. in February.
Read the full story

The crude oil prices fell in the hours prior to today’s trading of oil exchanges in New York and London because of forecasts that oil demand in Japan may decline after the devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11th. Japan is the third largest economy in the world and also is the third largest importer of energy raw materials, after the U.S. and China. The Japanese economy shrank last quarter of 2010, according to analysts, will begin to grow again in the second half of this year because of the serious consequences of natural disaster hit the country. The Japanese government decided to establish a special agency to monitor the recovery process, similar to the agency created for that purpose after World War II. The U.S. light crude for May delivery cheaper by 0.4 percent to 104.56 dollars per barrel in pre-trading on the New York Petroleum Exchange today. The April oil futures expired yesterday, ending the regular session with the jump in price to 104 dollars a barrel, its highest level in two weeks.
Read the full story

The price of oil is about to finish first week of decline for the last month amid signs of weakening U.S. demand and inconclusive economic data for the country. They failed to counteract concerns about the curtailment of supplies from Libya, under whose influence oil reached its highest price level since September 2008 earlier this week. The U.S. light crude for delivery in April cheaper by almost 1% to 101.73 dollars a barrel in today’s electronic trading on the New York Petroleum Exchange. U.S. economic data yesterday showed that new applications for unemployment benefits increased more than expected, highlighting the poor state of the labor market in the country. The price of oil pressure and the increase in proved reserves of crude oil in the U.S. last week. Analysts told that high crude oil prices are now entirely due to the Middle East conflict and taper off their energy raw materials will become cheaper due to near record large U.S. oil stocks. The lack of more robust signs of expansion in economic activity in the U.S. will also limit the appreciation of light crude oil. Its price fell 1.6 percent yesterday to 102.70 dollars per barrel. Since the beginning of this week, the variety traded in New York has dropped by 2.6 per cent.
Read the full story

The U.S. indexes suffered sharp decline on Tuesday as the Dow Jones dropped to levels of around 11,000 points for the first time in four weeks because of fears of investors that China may follow the example of South Korea to raise interest rates to curb inflation. “People see China as a consumer of goods and a major exporter, so that fear is a wave effect, if they deliberately try to slow its economy,” said Mark Padoa, market strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald. Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.59 percent to 11,024 points. Earlier in the session the index fell below 11,000 points for first time since October 20th. Home Depot Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. were the only winners among the 30 components of the Dow, after both retailers said profit growth for the third quarter. The S & P 500 closed for the fourth consecutive session with a fall – the longest series of negative index in August. S & P closed down by 1.62 percent to 1178 points, as companies for raw materials and energy sectors were hardest hit by the auctions. Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.75 percent to 2470 points. In a second massive sell for the past three days, the Chinese Shanghai Composite lost 4%. South Korean shares also fell after the central bank in Seoul raise interest rates.
Read the full story

The crude oil prices remained almost unchanged in today’s electronic commerce in global oil markets and is on track to finish the week with a fall despite the strong depreciation of the dollar. U.S. light crude for November delivery traded with a slight increase from 0.1 percent to 81.74 dollars a barrel today. Yesterday the price fell heavily to 1.56 dollars or 1.9 percent, to 81.67 dollars per barrel. The decline is greatest from 16 September onwards. Since the beginning of this week’s energy input is dropped by 0.5 percent and 2.3 percent since the beginning of this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In an environment its price rose to their highest levels for the past five months, but then retreated because of disappointing data on employment in the private sector of the U.S. economy. Later today, leaving the status of key U.S. economic data on unemployment and employment in the agricultural sectors in September. Analysts said the U.S. unemployment rose to 9.7 percent from 9.6 percent in August. The number of jobs in non-agricultural sectors did is expected to remain almost unchanged. Brent crude rising by 0.2 percent to 83.57 dollars a barrel in electronic trading today. Yesterday the price dropped by 1.63 dollars or 1.9 percent, to 83.43 dollars per barrel. Gold for immediate delivery while trading near yesterday’s levels at 334.10 dollars an ounce.
Read the full story

With significant losses U.S. indexes ended the exchange session on Tuesday. Decrease was caused by a data consumer confidence in the country, which showed a greater decline in June compared to expectations of market experts. “Even a technical recession to end last summer, consumers remain concerned about their jobs and future income, refrain from purchases that would contribute to sustainable GDP growth,” Dan told MarketWatch Griyhaus, chief analyst at the investment company Miller Tabak. His words are confirmed by statistics on U.S. consumer confidence this month, which fell after three consecutive increases. According to the confidence index of business organization Conference Board decline quite sharply – up 52.9 points to 62.7 points in May. Expectations of most economists was for a value of 62 points in June. The organization indicated that the main reason for the decline is precisely the uncertainty about the future of the labor market. While no permanent recovery observed in this market can hardly be expected improvement in consumer confidence and consumption, respectively, analysts say. Exchange session ended in New York for Dow Jones Industrial Average with the collapse of 2.64 per cent to 9871 points, S & P 500 fell 3.1 percent to its lowest level this year – 1041 points, and Nasdaq Composite marked loss nearly 3.9 percent to 2135 points.
Read the full story

The Index Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced the worst May of 1940, and many hedge funds that have performed remarkable well in the months after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, suffered heavy losses. According to data from HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, hedge funds in the U.S. lost an average of 2.7 percent in May, against the debt crisis in Europe, the subsequent decline in shares, the euro and commodity prices, and melt the difference between yields on short and long-term U.S. securities. This is the most significant decline in hedge funds in November 2008 when for months they lost an average of 3% resulting from the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September. Almost every investment strategy has been losing in May, comment from Chicago-based Hedge Fund Research Inc. Dow Jones Industrial Average sank by 7.6 percent due to fears that problems with the Greek debt will be spread to Spain and Portugal. Profits of some of the most famous hedge funds this year were deleted. “Trying to manage risk in an environment where anything can go wrong, goes wrong, it is a lost cause,” said Brad Baltar, director of Boston-based Balter Capital Management LLC. “The only defense which seems to act like this in months, is to pay everything in cash.
Read the full story

The crude oil price is back below $ 70 a barrel last night, blotting out its minimum height of yesterday’s trading session in New York. The decrease is mainly due to renewed subsidence of the euro, which in turn is under pressure because of problems in the banking sector in Spain. At the time the single currency is moving to a serious decline 1,2280 EUR / USD, which is a retreat from more than 100 pips for the night. This is due to fears that Spain is facing a banking crisis, since Saturday the country was nationalized Savings Bank CajaSur. Exchange in New York yesterday, the price of U.S. light crude rose 0.2 percent to 70.21 dollars a barrel. At night, however, quotes about lost 1.5 per cent this morning raw material traded on 69.13 dollars a barrel. Yesterday in London Brent with delivery in July fell 51 cents to 71.17 dollars per barrel, but this morning the price of raw materials fell by more dollars to 70.17 dollars a barrel. The price of crude oil supported the strong US Dollar and in end of Asian markets session, the USD reached new high levels.
Read the full story

Latvia’s economy has contracted by 17.7 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, which is the smallest decline for the year but more than economists’ expectations, sent Bloomberg, citing preliminary statistics. For the third quarter of the country’s economy shrank by 19 percent. Average expectations of economists polled by Bloomberg, were beginning to fall in the fourth quarter from 15.9 per cent. From the third quarter of the country’s economy increased by 2,4 percent. Revised GDP data will be published on 11 March. Latvian economy is showing signs of stabilization, the decline in industry is slowing. Increased exports to Western Europe is likely to help the country return to growth as domestic demand is under pressure because of measures introduced under the conditions for obtaining a rescue loan. “It is possible that the revised GDP data are better,” said Leah Strasuna, an economist at the Latvian unit of Swedbank AB.
Read the full story