DAILY

5th February 2014

PSI20: +0.22% DAX30: -0.13% FTSE100: +0.13% S&P500: -0,20% NIKKEI225: +1.23%
On Wednesday, the PSI20 Index rose 0.22% to 6 722.59 points, and it followed the trend of the main Southern Europe Indices. The financial sector was once again the main propeller with BCP climbing 1.22%, BPI gaining 1.46%, while BES advanced 1.01%. In contrast, PORTUGAL TELECOM lost 1.11%. More >> An Eurostat report released on Wednesday shows that retail sales in Portugal registered the biggest month-on-month fall among Eurozone countries: sales retreated 5.8% in December 2013, after an advance of 3.6% in last November. YoY Portuguese retail sales also dropped (-1%) in the last month of 2013. More >> European stocks inched up today after a steep two-week sell-off, but concerns about global growth, emerging market currencies and kept investors on edge, as they remain reluctant to take new positions before the ECB's monetary policy decision tomorrow, and Friday's monthly U.S. jobs data. More >> European stocks advanced for the first time in four days as investors weighed data that showed U.S. services-industries growth accelerated while employers in the worlds largest economy hired fewer workers than estimated. More >>

U.S. stocks fell mildly on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 finishing the session near unchanged, as a betterthan-expected report on the service sector helped neutralize another that had companies adding slightly fewer employees to their payrolls than anticipated in January. More >> The U.S. non-manufacturing sector continued its expansion in January, according to data released Wednesday by the Institute for Supply Management. The ISM's non-manufacturing purchasing managers' index increased to 54.0 last month from 53.0 in December. More >>

Asian stocks rose, with the regional benchmark index rebounding from its biggest slump since June, after U.S. shares advanced and Japanese companies posted earnings that cheered investor. More >> Indonesias economic growth unexpectedly quickened last quarter after an export rebound, an acceleration that may be short-lived as higher interest rates weigh on domestic consumption and investment. More >> The AiG performance of service index in Australia advanced to a reading of 49.3 in January, from a level of 46.1 registered in the previous month. More >>

COFFEE ($143.05/lb; +4.84%): Coffee posted the biggest rally in more than a decade as extreme weather threatened supplies from Indonesia to Brazil, the biggest grower and exporter. More >> NATURAL GAS ($5.135/Mmbtu; -2.36%): Natural gas futures fell after longer-range weather predictions called for milder mercury readings to return after bitter cold temperatures edged out. More >> GOLD ($1257.20/oz t; +0.35%): Gold prices rose as investors digested hit-or-miss economic indicators that left markets in doubt as to how quickly the FED will taper its bond-buying program. More >>

DISCLAIMER: Daily Briefs contains a summary of financial news covered on conventional news services around the world. Daily Briefs coverage of subjects is based on t whims of its volunteer contributors. FEP Finance Club is not responsible for any imprecision or error in the content of any news.