US markets edge lower on dispute over fiscal cliff

05 Dec 2012 Evaluate

The US markets edged lower on Tuesday extending losses into a second session, as political leaders wrangled in budgets talks to avert steep tax hikes and spending cuts that could push the economy into recession. President Barack Obama stated that the latest Republican budget proposal remains out of balance. Obama dug in his heels and voiced that there could not be a fiscal-cliff deal without higher taxes on the wealthy. However, in a letter to the president, House Republicans unveiled their deficit-reduction plan, calling for an $800 billion increase in revenue without hiking tax rates on the rich. This is only half of the new revenue that Obama has proposed. Instead, House of Republicans wants to overhaul the tax code and wipe out deductions. But Obama stated that closing loopholes and deductions would only raise $300 billion to $400 billion, which is not enough. Besides, House Speaker John Boehner stated Republicans stood alone in making a good-faith effort to avert the fiscal cliff, with the Ohio Republican accusing the president of unwillingness to compromise.

In Europe, euro group chairman Jean-Claude Juncker has called on Cyprus and its creditors to reach an agreement on the terms of the proposed bailout in a timely manner, while offering to discuss the matter with euro zone finance ministers as early as next week. Juncker also confirmed that Spain will receive euro 39.5 billion from the euro area bailout fund to recapitalize its banks by next week. On the other hand, annual inflation in the OECD area rose 2.3% in October compared with 2.2% in September, according to latest data released. Energy prices accelerated to 5.4% in October; up from 5.1% in September while food prices remained broadly stable in October at 2.2%, up from 2.1% in September. Separately, industrial producer prices rose 0.1% in both the euro area and the EU27 in October compared with September, according to estimates from Eurostat. In September, prices increased 0.2% and 0.3% in the euro area and the EU27 respectively.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 13.82 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 12,951.80, the S&P 500 declined by 2.41 points, or 0.17 percent, to finish at 1,407.05, while the Nasdaq slid 5.51 points, or 0.18 percent, to end at 2,996.69.

Indian ADRs closed mixed on Tuesday, HDFC Bank was down by 0.07%, Wipro was down by 0.06% and Tata Motors was down by 0.06%. On the other hand, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was up 0.48% and ICICI Bank was up by 0.41%.

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