Wall Street expected slightly higher
The index futures point to a slightly higher opening of U.S. markets. Shortly before the opening of Wall Street, about 12:00 am Paris time, the index futures Standard & Poor's 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, progressed from 0.21% to 1186.20 points from 0.15% to 1983 points.
Despite an increase in enrollment weekly unemployment and a shrinking numbers of consumer credit, U.S. investors appear to have courage and choose again, these days, for optimism. They show little worried, finally re-emerging doubts about the ability of Greece to honor its debts. Perhaps partly because, unlike the French or German banks, U.S. banks are not exposed directly to the crisis in Greece.Banks also suspected for 18 of them have, over the last 5 quarters, artificially reduced their debt just before the end of the quarter.
Today's meeting should be calm, however, no new important indicator being waited until Monday, except on Friday, the numbers of U.S. wholesalers' inventories for February, which will be released this afternoon around 16:00 .
Yesterday, while European stock markets in the green-mountain this morning showed an average decrease of 1% of their stars indices, the Dow Jones closed 0.3% awarded in the S & P 500 also, and the Nasdaq Composite 0.2%. One way to greet the rise, much higher than expected, sales of major U.S. retailers: Index by Thomson Reuters, they rose in March by 9.1% against 6.3% expected, the highest since 2000.Taking advantage of some better weather, 28 distributors have seen their turnover increase by over 9% a year, a further sign of improving consumer confidence. Gap saw its turnover grow by 11% against 3.7% expected and Kohl's, 22.5% against 12.4% expected. In the luxury, Nordstrom posted sales up +16.8%.
These values should continue to lead the coast on Friday, and Apple, which yesterday announced a new version of its operating system for the iPhone and iPad, and sales 450 000 iPad since Saturday.
Also to follow, the aviation sector, led from the rumors of merger between U.S. Airways companies (+10.7% at closing) and United Airlines (6.8% at closing), Thursday, at the New York Stock Exchange.UAL (6.75% to 20.23 dollars), parent of United Airlines, is in talks with U.S. Airways (10.70% to 7.55 dollars) for a combination that would create the One of the largest airlines in the world, according to The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. This operation would be carried out no exchange of shares.
China's ambitions to Tiffany, who wants to spend ten to thirty five the number of stores across the Rising Sun could give impetus to the value.
The California oil company Chevron (0.37% to 77.66 dollars a barrel) announced yesterday the results on the first quarter of 2010 as the fourth best in 2009. The group takes advantage of the rising oil prices and a possible improvement in its refining margins.The major U.S. must publish its accounts on April 30.
In the pharmacy, the distributor McKesson Corp. said it will sell its Asia Pacific unit, which provides health services through telephone and Internet, Medibank Private Limited. Giant Australian health services and insurance.