The New York Stock Exchange ended sharply lower Tuesday. Investors worried about a disappointing start to the season for corporate earnings and the severity of the nuclear crisis in Japan. At the close, the Dow Jones dropped 117.53 points to 12,263.58 points and the Nasdaq, dominated by technological 26.72 points to 2744.79 points. As for the broader index Standard & Poor's 500 has dropped 0.78% (10.30 points) to 1314.16 points.
"The Exchange has resisted in Japan, the crisis in Libya. More and more investors are expecting a sustained correction, between 7% and 10%, and say that it can be when it will occur, "said Clement Decombe of Meeschaert Capital Markets, cited by AFP. He added: "There will have taken profits, some will wait until the situation clears up a bit before going on the market."
Japan came out strong concerns among investors, the Japanese authorities raising the level of the accident at the plant in Fukushima at maximum level, equaling that of Chernobyl.
The earnings season for U.S. companies for the first quarter has also started a tumble: the aluminum producer Alcoa plunged 6.02% to $ 16.70 after posting a profit slightly above expectations, but sales lower than expected by analysts.
Trade balance and budget figures
The investors were even more pessimistic on Tuesday that macroeconomic side, the U.S. trade deficit declined more slowly than expected in February. The trade balance posted a deficit of 45.76 billion dollars according to figures released by the Commerce Department, while the market was expecting a "hole" of 44.5 billion.In January, the deficit had amounted to 46.97 billion dollars.
As for import prices and export, import price inflation accelerated sharply in March to 2.7% this month alone, mainly because of higher oil prices and the diet. Next publication expected by investors, those of the U.S. budget figure for the month of March
Oil prices are displayed for the second consecutive day sharply lower.
Side currency, the euro start rising against the greenback after this series of indicators, and evolved over the threshold of $ 1 online payday loans.45 for the first time since January 2010.
Fastenal Co.publish its results tomorrow before JP Morgan
As for the publications of corporate earnings for the first quarter, they will continue this week, on both sides of the Atlantic after Alcoa, are among others the first quarter figures from JP Morgan (-0 , 47%, to 46.64 dollars) to be known from this Wednesday (13:00), ahead of Accenture (-0.29% to 55.84 dollars), Google (-1.17%, to 570, $ 61) and Hasbro (-2.68% to 46.47 dollars), all three on the agenda for Thursday. Bank of America (-0.15%, to 13.47 dollars) and Mattel (-1.78% to 25.32 dollars) will follow on Friday.
Meanwhile, Fastenal Con'a not convinced investors despite higher public expectations (-4.390%, to 64.54 dollars).One of the largest U.S. distribution of industrial and construction equipment has announced an increase of 23% of its quarterly revenue at $ 641 million and a 42% jump in net income.
In addition, Intel will launch new microprocessors that consume less electricity. This strategic announcement has not aroused the enthusiasm of investors, as Intel falling 1.79%, to 19.76 dollars.
Amazon (-1.93% to 180.48 dollars) for its part, announced Monday a further decline in the price of its Kindle electronic reading light at 114 dollars against 139 dollars so far. This new model will post advertising via various backgrounds, but also a whole series of promotions made from the home page.Delivery scheduled May 3 in the United States.
Chevron (-3.34% to 104.18 dollars) for his part announced Monday that its profits in the first quarter of 2011 should be higher than the last three months of 2010, thanks to buoyant oil prices refining margins and higher.
Finally, Hewlett-Packard (+0.07% to 40.65 dollars), will have to give up for now afford the software developer Tibco Software (3.93% to 28.05 U.S. dollars) morning after the announcement by two sources familiar with the failure of negotiations.