US markets slip amid renewed concern over Europe’s debt crisis

05 Feb 2013 Evaluate

The US markets slipped on Monday in their worst drop of the year, as uncertainty over Europe rattled investors.  The S&P 500 industry groups were in the red led by losses in tech and financial stocks. McGraw-Hill and Moody’s Corporation were the worst performers, after Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services stated that the Justice Department was planning to file civil charges for its role in rating certain mortgage-bond securities in 2007. On the economy front, orders for goods produced in US factories rose 1.8% in December. However, the street expected orders to increase by 2.3%, largely because of higher orders for commercial and military aircraft. Orders for durable goods - products meant to last at least three years - advanced 4.3% in December. Yet orders for nondurable goods such as food and clothing dropped 0.3%. In November, factory orders were revised down slightly to show a 0.3% decline.

In Europe, Spain Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is mired in a corruption scandal amid calls for his resignation from the opposition Socialist Party. Mariano Rajoy sought to contain a growing scandal, denying allegations that he and members of his party accepted secret payments. Besides, reforms implemented in Italy are viewed as at risk by the increasing popularity of Silvio Berlusconi, with the former prime minister a contender in general elections slated for later in the month. Silvio Berlusconi gained in opinion polls after he vowed to reduce taxes if the former prime minister’s coalition wins elections later this month, stoking fears that the country will diverge from its current reformist drive.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 129.71 points or 0.93 percent to 13,880.10, the Nasdaq dropped 47.93 points or 1.51 percent to 3,131.17 and the S&P 500 was down by 17.46 points or 1.15 percent to 1,495.71.

Indian ADRs closed in red on Monday, Infosys was down by 0.91%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down 0.73%, ICICI Bank was down 0.70%, HDFC Bank was down by 0.60% and Tata Motors was down 0.49%.

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