Wall Street continues its momentum
U.S. stock markets open up Thursday. The Dow Jones gained 0.53% and the Nasdaq advance of 0.98%. On Wednesday, Wall Street closed slightly higher, achieving withstand a blow of hot oil, including through private employment figures better than expected and the last situation report from the Fed.
The human resources firm ADP said that the U.S. private sector had created 217,000 jobs in February, far more than in January, more than expected by economists. Moreover, as the beige book for the U.S. central bank (Fed) "the overall economic activity continued to grow at low to moderate in January and early February."This situation report was made on the basis of information supplied by the twelve regional branches of the Federal Reserve based on their field observations and contacts with the corporate world before February 18.
Investors, however, keep an eye on oil today. Despite a moderate decline Thursday morning gold prices remain under pressure.In mid-session, a barrel of Brent North Sea traded in London at 115.72 dollars, down 63 cents from the close of the day, while in New York, a barrel of Light sweet crude (WTI) let go 62 cents to 101.61 dollars.
AIG repay the state
On the foreign exchange market, the euro off again down slightly against the dollar on Thursday, traders moved cautiously before the monetary policy decision of the European Central Bank (ECB), which could adopt a more aggressive stance to counter the Inflation in the eurozone.By mid-afternoon in Paris, the euro bought 1.3946 dollars against 1.3867 dollars late Wednesday, after reaching 1.3891 dollars Wednesday, its highest level since early November.
On the macroeconomic front, new jobless claims fell to their lowest level since late May 2008 the United States, according to official figures released Thursday in Washington and identifying the deposit of 368,000 applications for unemployment benefits one week guaranteed fast personal loans.
Productivity gains businesses have been revised upwards to 3.9% for all of 2010 in the United States, according to new estimates from the Labor Department released Thursday in Washington.
At 16 hours will be issued ISM Services February.
AIG: 2.98% to 38.41 dollars
The side of values, the insurance giant AIG American sold its stake in rival MetLife for $ 6.3 billion, a sum that will enable it to repay much of the money owed to government U.S. Treasury said Wednesday the United States.
Apple: 1.27% to 356.58 dollars
Apple on Wednesday unveiled the new version of its tablet computer iPad, with two cameras emptied, one in front and the other on the back.
Citigroup: 1.52% to 4.67 dollars
Spanish bank Santander, the U.S. asset manager BlackRock and a fund run by a former Citigroup, Bob Willumstad, interested in the resumption of consumer credit from Citigroup, the Financial Times reported.The deal could reach two billion.
CME Group: 0.85% to 306.61 dollars
CME Group would launch a service for futures market in London to develop the volume of transactions with emerging countries.
Also note, the SEC, the policeman of financial markets in the U.S., is trying to fight against pay excessive bonuses which, it increases the excessive risk-taking in the field of finance. The stock market watchdog will for the first time, require details of the bonus awarded.