Following a day of low volatility, U.S markets finished slightly lower. Investors appeared to be waiting on the sidelines to see the result of negotiations between Greece and the Eurogroup. Economic data also came out mixed with Initial Jobless Claims falling to 283,000 but the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index dropped to 5.2. Traders are assessing all pieces of data for clues on a potential interest rate hike following the FOMC Meeting Minutes report released earlier in the week. The S&P 500 lost 0.1% to 2,097.45 and the Dow Jones lost 0.2% to 17,985.77. In the Dow Wal-Mart Stores lost 3.21%, Chevron Corp lost 1.89% and Caterpillar lost 1.77%.
Asian markets were mostly closed across Asia due to the Lunar New Year holidays. The Nikkei added 0.37% as the Dollar moved higher against the Yen; the Dollar traded around 118.9 for most of the session compared to 118.65 a day earlier. Reacting to the weaker Yen Sumco Corp added 5.3%, Tokyo Electron added 5.19% and Alps Electric Co added 5.09%.
European markets are mixed today ahead of the eurozone finance ministers’ meeting on the Greek bailout. The current bailout expires on Feb 28th and would leave them without any financing. In addition it was just reported that Germany would allow Greece to exit the Eurozone unless they accept required conditions to extend the bailout. Currently, the FTSE 100 is higher by 0.18%, while the CAC 40 is leading the DAX lower. They are down 0.68% and 0.23% respectively. The FTSE is being led higher by Tullow Oil which is up 3.87%, Weir Group which is up 3.44% and Glencore which is up 2.63%. In the DAX, Allianz SE is down 1.51% and RWE AG is down 1.14%.
February 20, 2015 – Indices News
Following a day of low volatility, U.S markets finished slightly lower. Investors appeared to be waiting on the sidelines to see the result of negotiations between Greece and the Eurogroup. Economic data also came out mixed with Initial Jobless Claims falling to 283,000 but the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index dropped to 5.2. Traders are assessing all pieces of data for clues on a potential interest rate hike following the FOMC Meeting Minutes report released earlier in the week. The S&P 500 lost 0.1% to 2,097.45 and the Dow Jones lost 0.2% to 17,985.77. In the Dow Wal-Mart Stores lost 3.21%, Chevron Corp lost 1.89% and Caterpillar lost 1.77%.
Asian markets were mostly closed across Asia due to the Lunar New Year holidays. The Nikkei added 0.37% as the Dollar moved higher against the Yen; the Dollar traded around 118.9 for most of the session compared to 118.65 a day earlier. Reacting to the weaker Yen Sumco Corp added 5.3%, Tokyo Electron added 5.19% and Alps Electric Co added 5.09%.
European markets are mixed today ahead of the eurozone finance ministers’ meeting on the Greek bailout. The current bailout expires on Feb 28th and would leave them without any financing. In addition it was just reported that Germany would allow Greece to exit the Eurozone unless they accept required conditions to extend the bailout. Currently, the FTSE 100 is higher by 0.18%, while the CAC 40 is leading the DAX lower. They are down 0.68% and 0.23% respectively. The FTSE is being led higher by Tullow Oil which is up 3.87%, Weir Group which is up 3.44% and Glencore which is up 2.63%. In the DAX, Allianz SE is down 1.51% and RWE AG is down 1.14%.
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