US markets snap two-week winning streak

17 Dec 2011 Evaluate

The US markets made mixed closing on Friday snapping two-week winning streak, as inflation data came in lower than expected which contributed to a stream of positive economic news in recent days and was in line with the Fed’s target rate. Also, Italy approved the austerity measures to reign in expenses. The pessimism crept in after Fitch Ratings lowered France’s outlook and placed Spain and Italy under review. US consumer prices were flat in November following a 0.1% decline in October according to the latest data released by the Labor Department. Core consumer prices, excluding food and energy prices, rose 0.2% in the month. In Europe, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti won a parliamentary confidence vote as expected on its austerity measures by 495 votes to 88. The Chamber of Deputies approved €33 billion package of austerity measures and spending cuts and the package now heads to the Senate for its approval before Christmas.

The markets were propelled earlier by optimism that the European Union will meet on December 19, deadline for funding a crisis-fighting package. Luxembourg’s Jean-Claude Juncker, who leads a group of finance ministers from the region, stated that the EU should meet the goal for arranging loans to the International Monetary Fund. The optimism on the street got fizzled out after Fitch Ratings cut France’s ratings outlook to negative and stated that it may downgrade Spain, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia, Ireland and Cyprus by the end of January. Later on Moody’s Investors Service reduced Belgium’s grade.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 2.42 points, or 0.02 percent, to 11,866.40. The Standard and Poor’s 500 closed higher by 3.91 points, or 0.32 percent, to 1,219.66, while the Nasdaq composite gained 14.32 points, or 0.56 percent, to 2,555.33.

The Indian ADRs too made a mixed closing on Friday, HDFC Bank was down by 1.22%, ICICI Bank was down by 0.30% and Sterlite Industries was down by 0.22%. On the flip side, Dr. Reddys Lab up by 0.32% and Infosys Technologies was up by 0.28%.

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