虚拟币峰会
Hong Kong Bourse May Reverse Thursday's Losses
(RTTNews) - The Hong Kong stock market on Thursday snapped the two-day winning streak in which it had advanced more than 280 points or 1.4 percent. The Hang Seng Index now sits just beneath the 20,490-point plateau although it's expected to open to the upside on Friday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is mixed to higher, likely driven by the latest earnings news. The European markets were up and the U.S. bourses were mixed and the Asian markets figure to split the difference.
The Hang Seng finished sharply lower on Thursday following losses from the property stocks and technology companies.
For the day, the index stumbled 270.53 points or 1.30 percent to finish at 20,489.62 after trading between 20,448.46 and 20,685.46.
Among the actives, Alibaba Group retreated 3.24 percent, while Alibaba Health Info plummeted 4.73 percent, ANTA Sports dropped 2.01 percent, China Life Insurance was down 0.94 percent, China Mengniu Dairy declined 3.11 percent, China Resources Land tumbled 3.44 percent, CITIC slid 1.07 percent, CNOOC climbed 1.17 percent, CSPC Pharmaceutical tanked 3.45 percent, Galaxy Entertainment dipped 1.02 percent, Haier Smart Home eased 0.82 percent, Hang Lung Properties sank 1.97 percent, Henderson Land shed 1.72 percent, Hong Kong China Gas added 0.33 percent, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China collected 0.42 percent, JD.com surrendered 3.02 percent, Lenovo slumped 2.71 percent, Li Auto lost 1.49 percent, Li Ning rallied 1.44 percent, Meituan plunged 4.05 percent, New World Development skidded 2.11 percent, Nongfu Spring stumbled 3.16 percent, Techtronic Industries slipped 0.97 percent, Xiaomi Corporation fell 1.17 percent and WuXi Biologics weakened 2.37 percent.
The lead from Wall Street is murky as the major averages opened mixed on Thursday and finished the same way.
The Dow dropped 140.59 points or 0.33 percent to finish at 42,374.36, while the NASDAQ climbed 138.83 points or 0.76 percent to close at 18,415.49 and the SP 500 rose 12.44 points or 0.21 percent to end at 5,809.86.
The strength on the tech-heavy NASDAQ was spurred by strong quarterly earnings from the likes of Tesla (TSLA) and UPS (UPS).
On the other hand, the Dow was weighed by weak quarterly earnings news from IBM (IBM), Honeywell (HON) and Boeing (BA).
Oil prices fell on Thursday, extending losses from the previous session as concerns about excess supply and weak crude consumption in China weighed. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December ended down $0.58 or 0.8 percent at $70.19 a barrel.
Dollar Rises Against Major Counterparts
(RTTNews) - After staying quite subdued during the Asian and European sessions, and early on in the New York session, the U.S. dollar climbed higher on Friday amid bets the Federal Reserve will be less aggressive with regard to interest rate cuts, and on speculation former President Donald Trump coming to power for a second term. Higher Treasury yields contributed as well to the dollar's rise.
In economic news today, data from the Commerce Department said durable goods orders slid by 0.8% in September, matching a revised decrease in August. Economists had expected durable goods orders to fall by 0.5 percent compared to the unchanged reading originally reported for the previous month.
According to revised data released by the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment in the U.S. unexpectedly improved in the month of October. The report said the consumer sentiment index for October was upwardly revised to 70.5 from a preliminary reading of 68.9. Economists had expected the index to be upwardly revised slightly to 69.0.
The Atlanta Fed cut the U.S. growth projection for the third quarter on Friday, citing the recent official data as well as the housing market figures. The bank lowered the GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth in the third quarter to 3.3% from 3.4% projected on October 18.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York staff nowcast of U.S. GDP growth for the third and fourth quarters were lowered on Friday, citing negative surprises from recent economic data. The New York Fed Staff Nowcast for the third quarter was reduced to 2.9% from 3% estimated on October 18. The figure was lowered for a second time this month.
The dollar index climbed to 104.34, gaining nearly 0.3%, after moving along the flat line till a little before noon.
Against the Euro, the dollar strengthened to 1.0797 from 1.0828. Against Pound Sterling, the dollar firmed to 1.2959 from 1.2977.
The dollar climbed against the Japanese currency, fetching 152.29 yen a unit, up from 151.84 yen a unit Thursday evening. Against the Aussie, the dollar firmed to 0.6603, rising about 0.6% from 0.6640.
Against Swiss franc, the dollar gained marginally at CHF 0.8666, and against the Loonie, it advanced to C$ 1.3896 from C$ 1.3856, despite a sharp rise in oil prices.
Sensex, Nifty Close Weak For 5th Straight Day
(RTTNews) - Indian shares ended weak on Friday, drifting down for the fifth consecutive session, as mostly disappointing quarterly results, persisting tensions in the Middle East, and anxiety over the impending U.S. election rendered the mood cautious and prevented investors from engaging in any significant buying.
The BSE benchmark Sensex ended down 662.87 points or 0.83% at 79,402.29, after having climbed nearly 200 points to 80,253.19 in early trades.
The broader Nifty50 index of the National Stock Exchange, which advanced to 24,440.25 early on in the session, settled at 24,180.90, down 218.60 points or 0.9% from the previous close.
Automobile, bank, consumer durables, metal, media and realty stocks were among the major losers. FMCG stocks found some support, while IT and healthcare stocks turned in a mixed performance.
IndusInd Bank tumbled 18.6% after the lender reported a sharp 39% slump in second-quarter net profit to Rs 1,325.45 crore, from the year-ago quarter.
MM, Larsen Toubro and NTPC lost 3.1 to 4%. Adani Ports, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Steel, Titan, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, Tata Motors and JSW Steel closed down 1.6 to 2.8%.
Adani Enterprises and BPCL both ended nearly 4% down. Shriram Finance, Coal India, HeroMoto Corp, Tata Consumer Products, Titan Industris, Hindalco, Grasim Industries and Trent also closed sharply lower.
Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, Reliance Industries and Infosys too ended weak.
ITC climbed about 2.2% thanks to a marginal jump in second-quarter earnings. Axis Bank ended 1.7% up, while Hind Unilever gained nearly 1%. Bharat Electronics Limited and Britannia Industries also closed notably higher.
VST Industries tanked nearly 10%, weighed down by a sharp drop in second-quarter earnings. Shriram Properties, Radico Khaitan and Mahanagar Gas also declined on weak results.
Kirloskar Pneumatic soared nearly 10% after reporting a whopping 235% surge in second-quarter earnings. Godrej Consumer Products and Nippon Life also moved up sharply on strong earnings.
The market breadth was very weak with declines far outnumbering advances. On BSE, 3,215 stocks closed weak, while just 738 stocks moved higher. 68 stocks closed flat.
Gold Futures Settle Modestly Higher For The Session, Gain 1% In Week
(RTTNews) - Gold futures settled higher on Friday despite a slightly stronger dollar, as rising predictions of a Trump presidency as well as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pushed up demand for the safe-haven yellow metal.
The dollar index, which moved along the flat line till noon, climbed to 104.24, gaining nearly 0.2%, with investors looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's policy announcement due on November 7.
The CME FedWatch tool reveals that markets continue to overwhelmingly expect another Fed rate cut in November, with a 95.6 percent probability for a 25 basis points cut and a 4.4 percent probability for a status quo.
Gold futures for October ended higher by $6.00 or about 0.22% at $2,740.90 an ounce. The contract gained about 1% in the week.
Silver futures for October closed up $$0.008 at $33.603 an ounce. Silver futures gained about 1.73% in the week.
Copper futures for November climbed to $4.3400 per pound, gaining $0.0150 or about 0.35%.
Reflecting a continued slump by orders for transportation equipment, the Commerce Department released a report on Friday showing new orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods fell by more than expected in the month of September.
The Commerce Department said durable goods orders slid by 0.8 percent in September, matching a revised decrease in August.
Economists had expected durable goods orders to fall by 0.5 percent compared to the unchanged reading originally reported for the previous month.
In economic news, consumer sentiment in the U.S. unexpectedly improved in the month of October, according to revised data released by the University of Michigan. The University of Michigan said its consumer sentiment index for October was upwardly revised to 70.5 from a preliminary reading of 68.9. Economists had expected the index to be upwardly revised slightly to 69.0.
The Atlanta Fed cut the U.S. growth projection for the third quarter on Friday, citing the recent official data as well as the housing market figures. The bank lowered the GDPNow model estimate for real GDP growth in the third quarter to 3.3% from 3.4% projected on October 18.
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York staff nowcast of U.S. GDP growth for the third and fourth quarters were lowered on Friday, citing negative surprises from recent economic data. The New York Fed Staff Nowcast for the third quarter was reduced to 2.9% from 3% estimated on October 18. The figure was lowered for a second time this month.
Eurozone Bank Lending Growth Improves In September
(RTTNews) - Eurozone bank lending growth improved moderately in September as interest rates started to ease, data published by the European Central Bank showed on Friday.
The adjusted loans to the private sector rose 1.6 percent compared with 1.5 percent in August. Claims on the private sector posted a steady annual growth of 1.2 percent in September.
Among the borrowing sectors, the annual growth of adjusted loans to households came in at 0.7 percent in September, slightly better than the 0.6 percent rise in August. Adjusted loans to non-financial corporations increased to 1.1 percent from 0.8 percent a month ago.
The M3 broad monetary aggregates grew at a pace of 3.2 percent annually, while it was expected to post a steady increase of 2.9 percent. At the same time, the M1 narrow measure declined 1.2 percent, following a 2.1 percent drop.
Although lending will probably continue to increase gradually in the coming months, the ECB might need to cut its policy rates substantially to give lending a significant boost, Capital Economics' economist Jack Allen-Reynolds said.
ING economist Bert Colijn said tentative improvements show that monetary easing in the currency bloc is having an effect but that more needs to be done for investment to undergo a more meaningful recovery in 2025.
Early this month, the ECB had lowered its key rate by 25 basis points after a similar quarter point cut opted in September. The bank said policy rates will be kept sufficiently restrictive for as long as necessary to bring euro area inflation back to the 2 percent target.
FTSE 100 Reflects Cautious Sentiment
(RTTNews) - The FTSE 100 benchmark of the London Stock Exchange recorded losses of close to a quarter percent in Friday's trading amidst mixed earnings updates and caution ahead of the upcoming budget of the new government on October 30.
FTSE 100 oscillated between 8,278.11 and 8,246.23 as compared with the previous day's closing level of 8,269.38.
The benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange is currently trading at 8,249.82, having lost 0.24 percent on an overnight basis.
In the 100-scrip index, only 29 are trading in the overnight positive zone.
Natwest Group jumped 3.5 percent amidst a positive earnings surprise. Schroders, Howden Joinery Group, Rolls-Royce Holdings and Ashtead Group have gained more than 0.75 percent.
Airtel Africa tumbled 5.6 percent. Lloyds Banking Group and Smith Nephew, both lost more than 3 percent. Intertek Group has declined more than 2 percent.
The GBP/USD pair gained 0.09 percent overnight to 1.2983. The sterling ranged between $1.2990 and $1.2956 in the day's trade. The EUR/GBP pair edged down 0.09 percent to 0.8336. The GBP/JPY pair added 0.11 percent to 197.24.
Converging with the global trend of hardening, bond yields in the U.K. spiked in the day's trading. Ten-year bond yields increased 0.76 percent to 4.2700 percent ahead of the new Labour government's first budget next week. The yields ranged between 4.2735 percent and 4.2460 percent over the course of the day amidst fears of additional govt borrowing. The same was at 4.2380 percent a day earlier.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Gets $79.1 Mln Pay In 2024, Up 63%
(RTTNews) - Microsoft Corp.'s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella received a pay raise of around 63% in fiscal 2024, with most of the package being in the shares of the tech major.
Meanwhile, the cash incentive was more than 50 percent lower than Nadella would have been awarded, following his request for a reduction amid recent security issues.
According to a regulatory filing, Nadella received $79.11 million worth compensation for fiscal 2024, higher than last year's $48.51 million. The pay package included $2.5 million salary, while $71.24 million was in stock awards, and $5.20 million in non-equity incentive plan compensation.
The significantly higher payment, which is said to be his highest so far since he was paid $84 million in 2014, comes amid the artificial intelligence boom, as the company is focused on ensuring the world benefits from the broad technological shift to AI, while mitigating its risks.
In the filing, the Compensation Committee noted that it has executed on pay for performance philosophy. Over 95 percent of the annual target compensation opportunity for CEO is performance-based. Cash incentive awards are structured 70% for CEO, based on pre-established goals, such as balance of growth and profitability goals. The remaining 30 percent for CEO is based on operational performance as assessed across three performance categories, diversifying the risk associated with any single aspect of performance.
Meanwhile, Nadella had requested for a reduction in the cash incentive portion of his pay due to the recent security issues.
Based on the assessment of operational and financial performance, Nadella would be eligible for a cash incentive of $10.66 million for fiscal year 2024.
Meanwhile, the committee approved a fiscal year 2024 cash incentive of $5.2 million, which represents a more than 50 percent reduction compared to what he would have been awarded based on the combined assessment of strong financial and operational performance.
The committee wrote in the filing, "Nadella agreed that the Company's performance was extremely strong, but reflecting on his personal commitment to security and his role as the CEO, asked the Board to consider departing from the established performance metrics and reduce his cash incentive to reflect his personal accountability for the focus and speed required for the changes that today's cybersecurity threat landscape showed were necessary."
However, according to the Board, Nadella provided exceptional leadership and was both critical in achieving the extremely strong performance of the company and personally responsible for the ongoing repositioning of its investments and priorities.
In a May memo to employees, Nadella had stated that Microsoft would prioritize security above all else. In June, the company said it would consider employees' cybersecurity efforts when deciding on their compensation.
Among others, Amy Hood, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, received $25.80 million in 2024, higher than prior year's $19.90 million. Judson Althoff, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, received $23.05 million, compared to $16.20 million in the prior year.
Pound Rises Against Majors
(RTTNews) - The British pound weakened against other major currencies in the European session on Friday.
The pound rose to 2-day highs of 1.1260 against the Swiss franc and 1.2990 against the U.S. dollar, from early lows of 1.1215 and 1.2956, respectively.
Against the yen, the pound edged up to 197.43 from an early 2-day low of 196.40.
The pound climbed to 0.8334 against the euro, from an early low of 0.8352.
If the pound extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 1.13 against the franc, 1.31 against the greenback, 200.00 against the yen and 0.81 against the euro.
U.S. Durable Goods Orders Fall More Than Expected In September
(RTTNews) - Reflecting a continued slump by orders for transportation equipment, the Commerce Department released a report on Friday showing new orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods fell by more than expected in the month of September.
The Commerce Department said durable goods slid by 0.8 percent in September, matching a revised decrease in August.
Economists had expected durable goods orders to fall by 0.5 percent compared to the unchanged reading originally reported for the previous month.
Excluding a 3.1 percent plunge by orders for transportation equipment, durable goods orders rose by 0.4 percent in September after climbing by 0.6 percent in August. Ex-transportation orders were expected to edge down by 0.1 percent.
Earning Updates Fail To Boost CAC 40
(RTTNews) - Corporate earnings updates from France failed to lift the CAC-40 benchmark above the flatline on Friday.
The CAC-40 is currently trading at 7,490.68, slipping 0.17 percent from the previous close of 7,503.28. The day's trading has been between 7,518.75 and 7,459.41.
Of the 40 scrips in the index, only 16 scrips are trading above the flatline.
Renault which confirmed its full year guidance topped gains with a jump of 2.8 percent. Sanofi rallied more than 1.5 percent. Saint Gobain, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, Legrand and Safran, all gained more than half a percent in the day's trading.
Vinci topped with a loss of 2.5 percent followed by Capgemini that declined 2.2 percent. Edenred, Accor, Orange, Dassault Systemes and Pernod Ricard have all slipped more than 1 percent.
The EUR/USD pair is flat at 1.0827 after ranging between 1.0838 and 1.0814. The EUR/GBP pair has edged down 0.06 percent to 0.8339 whereas the EUR/JPY pair has edged up 0.05 percent to 164.49.
In line with the tightening in global bond yields, yields on France's ten-year bonds have jumped 0.94 percent to 3.010%. The yield was at 2.982 percent a day earlier.
Data released earlier in the day showed France's consumer confidence indicator falling to 94 in October, in line with market estimates and edging down from 95 in September. France's unemployment surged the most in 3 years amidst initial Jobless Claims increasing to 42.20 thousand in September versus -12.70 thousand in the previous month.
DAX Positive Amidst Boost In Business Climate
(RTTNews) - A more-than-expected increase in the Business Climate indicator and positive earnings updates from the corporate sector helped the DAX benchmark record positive performance in the day's trading.
Data released earlier in the day showed Germany's Ifo Business Climate indicator increase for the first time in six months to 86.5 in October. The reading surprised markets which had anticipated only a marginal rise to 85.6 from 85.4 in September which was also the lowest reading since January.
The forty-scrip DAX index is currently trading at 19,474.10, versus the previous close of 19,467.45. The day's trading ranged between a high of 19,509.00 and a low of 19,388.36.
In the 40-scrip index, 18 scrips are trading in the overnight green zone.
Daimler Truck Holding has surged 4.2 percent followed by Siemens Energy that has gained 2.3 percent. Heidelberg Cement, Deutsche Bank and Siemens have all gained more than 1 percent in the day's trading.
Continental dropped 2.3 percent. Rheinmetall, Beiersdorf and Qiagen have all declined more than 1 percent.
The EUR/USD pair has edged down 0.03 percent and is currently trading at 1.0823 after ranging between 1.0838 and 1.0814. The EUR/GBP pair has edged down 0.07 percent to 0.8338 whereas the EUR/JPY pair has edged up 0.05 percent to 164.49.
In tandem with the global hardening in bond yields, German bond yields increased 0.82 percent. The same is at 2.2735 percent versus 2.2550 percent at the previous close. Yields ranged between 2.2845 percent and 2.2440 percent in the day's trading.
Russia Hikes Interest Rate By 200 Bps; Signals Another Hike
(RTTNews) - Russia's central bank raised its benchmark rate by larger-than-expected 200 basis points and also hinted at another hike next month as inflation expectations increased and additional fiscal spending lifted proinflationary effects.
The board of directors, led by Governor Elvira Nabiullina, raised the key rate to a record 21.00 percent from 19.00 percent.
The bank has raised the key interest rate by 1,350 basis points since July 2023.
The board observed that further tightening of monetary policy is required to ensure the return of inflation to the target and reduce inflation expectations.
"The Bank of Russia holds open the prospect of increasing the key rate at its upcoming meeting," the bank said in a statement.
Inflation is expected to be in the range of 8.0 percent to 8.5 percent by the end of 2024. Annual inflation is projected to slow to 4.5 percent -5.0 percent next year and 4.0 percent in 2026, and stay at the target further on.
The bank noted that inflation expectations increased considerably mainly as a reaction to the current high inflation. Further, growth in domestic demand is outstripping the capabilities to expand the supply of goods and services.
Moreover, additional fiscal spending and the related expansion of the federal budget deficit in 2024 have proinflationary effects, policymakers observed.
Today's hike is evidence that despite President Putin's efforts at this week's BRICS summit to portray Russia's economy as watertight - the war is creating significant challenges for policymakers, Capital Economics' economist Nicholas Farr said.
TSX Ends Modestly Lower, Drops Nearly 1.5% In Week
(RTTNews) - The Canadian market ended on a weak note on Friday, extending losses to a fifth straight session, on concerns about the outlook for economic growth, and on uncertainty about the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
Losses in real estate, consumer discretionary, communications and materials sectors contributed to the weakness. Several stocks from industrials, financials and technology sectors also closed weak, while energy and healthcare stocks found support.
The benchmark SP/TSX Composite Index, which moved up a bit after opening flat, turned weak around late morning and kept losing ground thereafter and eventually ended the day's session with a loss of 87.88 points or 0.36% at 24,463.67. The index dropped nearly 1.5% in the week.
On the economic front, data srom Statistics Canada showed retail sales in the country likely increased by 0.4% from the previous month in September, according to flash estimate.
Retail sales increased 1.4% in August over the same month in the previous year.
Manufacturing sales in Canada decreased by 0.8% in September from -1.3% in August.
Another data from Statistics Canada said the new house price index in Canada remained unchanged at 0% in September. On yearly basis, the index increased to 0.2% in September from 0% in August.
iA Financial Corporation (IAG.TO) ended down 2.5%. Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP.TO), Kinaxis Inc (KXS.TO), Constellation Software (CSU.TO) and Dollarama Inc (DOL.TO) closed lower by 1 to 2%.
Winpak Ltd. (WPK.TO) climbed more than 4.5%. goeasy (GSY.TO) gained about 3.2%. Celestica Inc (CLS.TO), West Fraser Timber (WFG.TO), Teck Resources (TECK.B.TO), Precision Drilling Corporation (PD.TO), Imperial Oil (IMO.TO), Morguard Corporation (MRC.TO) and Boyd Group Services (BYD.TO) advanced 1 to 2.6%.
Bay Street Likely To Open On Mixed Note
(RTTNews) - Canadian shares are seen opening on a mixed note Friday morning with investors likely to react to a slew of economic data, and tracking global markets.
Data srom Statistics Canada showed retail sales in the country likely increased by 0.4% from the previous month in September, according to flash estimate.
Retail sales increased 1.4% in August over the same month in the previous year.
Manufacturing sales in Canada decreased by 0.8% in September from -1.3% in August.
Another data from Statistics Canada said the new house price index in Canada remained unchanged at 0% in September. On yearly basis, the index increased to 0.2% in September from 0% in August.
Corus Entertainment (CJR.B.TO) reported a net loss of $25.7 million, or $0.13 per share, in the fourth-quarter, compared with net income of $50.4 million, or $0.25 per share, in the year-ago quarter.
The Canadian market ended marginally down on Thursday with investors digesting a slew of earnings updates and largely looking to trim down commitments amid uncertainty about the outcome of U.S. presidential election, and persisting worries about Middle East tensions.
The benchmark SP/TSX Composite Index, which edged up slightly at the start to 24,590.52, fell to 24,372.34 around noon, but recovered gradually to settle at 24,551.55, with a loss of 22.07 points or 0.09%.
Equity markets in Asia traded on a mixed note ahead of elections in Japan over the weekend and uncertainty over the impact on Bank of Japan's monetary policy stance. However positive sentiment prevailed in the Chinese bourses ahead of the upcoming session of China's top legislature in the first week of November.
European stocks are turning in a mixed performance in cautious trade with investors digesting a mixed bag of corporate earnings updates, and largely appearing reluctant to make significant moves due to uncertainty about global growth outlook and the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
In commodities, West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures are up $0.75 or 1.07% at $70.94 a barrel.
Gold futures are down $10.70 or 0.4% at $2,738.20 an ounce, while Silver futures are lower by $0.285 or 0.84% at $33.510 an ounce.
Taiwan Stock Market May Turn Lower Again On Monday.
(RTTNews) - The Taiwan stock market on Friday ended the three-day losing streak in which it had dropped almost 350 points or 1.5 percent. The Taiwan Stock Exchange now rests just beneath the 23,350-point plateau although it may head south again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The TSE finished modestly higher on Friday following gains from the financial shares and technology stocks, while the plastics companies were mixed.
For the day, the index added 155.93 points or 0.67 percent to finish at 23,348.45 after trading between 23,222.77 and 23,388.53.
Among the actives, Cathay Financial collected 0.34 percent, while Mega Financial perked 0.13 percent, First Financial added 0.37 percent, Fubon Financial advanced 0.99 percent, E Sun Financial sank 0.72 percent, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company gained 0.47 percent, United Microelectronics Corporation slid 0.20 percent, Hon Hai Precision rallied 2.13 percent, Catcher Technology rose 0.21 percent, MediaTek surged 3.54 percent, Delta Electronics spiked 2.16 percent, Novatek Microelectronics shed 0.58 percent, Formosa Plastics strengthened 1.41 percent, Nan Ya Plastics eased 0.12 percent, Asia Cement fell 0.21 percent and Largan Precision and CTBC Financial were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
Hong Kong Trade Data Due On Monday
(RTTNews) - Hong Kong will on Monday release September figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.
In August, imports were up 7.9 percent on month ad exports rose 6.4 percent for a trade deficit of HKS33.1 billion.
Thailand is scheduled to see September numbers for imports, exports and trade balance. In August, imports were up 8.9 percent on year and exports rose an annual 7.0 percent for a trade surplus of $0.260 billion.
Finally, the markets in New Zealand are closed on Monday for Labor Day and will re-open on Tuesday.
Singapore Stock Market May Open Under Pressure Again On Monday
(RTTNews) - The Singapore stock market on Friday snapped the modest two-day winning streak in which it had gathered almost 20 points or 0.6 percent. The Straits Times Index now sits just above the 3,590-point plateau and it may tick lower again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The STI finished modestly lower on Friday following losses from the financial shares, trusts and property stocks, while the industrials came in mixed.
For the day, the index fell 11.54 points or 0.32 percent to finish at 3,593.41 after trading between 3,582.36 and 3,604.54.
Among the actives, CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust retreated 0.98 percent, CapitaLand Investment tanked 1.03 percent, City Developments eased 0.19 percent, DBS Group slid 0.38 percent, Genting Singapore shed 0.60 percent, Hongkong Land fell 0.51 percent, Keppel DC REIT advanced 0.85 percent, Keppel Ltd added 0.62 percent, Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust plummeted 4.96 percent, Mapletree Industrial Trust dropped 0.83 percent, Mapletree Logistics Trust sank 0.72 percent, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation lost 0.52 percent, SATS surged 7.22 percent, Seatrium Limited tumbled 1.02 percent, SembCorp Industries plunged 1.13 percent, Singapore Technologies Engineering gained 0.43 percent, SingTel rose 0.31 percent, Thai Beverage declined 0.94 percent, Wilmar International slumped 0.91 percent, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding improved 0.78 percent and Comfort DelGro, Emperador, Yangzijiang Financial and DFI Retail were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
Malaysia Bourse Tipped To Extend Losing Streak
(RTTNews) - The Malaysia stock market has moved lower in five straight sessions, slipping almost 30 points or 1.8 percent along the way. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just beneath the 1,620-point plateau and it's expected to open under water again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The KLCI finished modestly lower on Friday as losses from the financial hare, industrials and telecoms were mitigated slightly by support from the plantations.
For the day, the index dropped 13.93 points or 0.85 percent to finish at 1,618.30 after trading between 1,617.60 and 1,635.28.
Among the actives, Axiata stumbled 2.08 percent, while Celcomdigi surrendered 3.36 percent, CIMB Group eased 0.12 percent, Genting slumped 0.75 percent, Genting Malaysia dropped 0.44 percent, IHH Healthcare climbed 1.21 percent, Kuala Lumpur Kepong perked 0.09 percent, Maxis tanked 3.42 percent, Maybank shed 0.38 percent, MISC retreated 1.71 percent, PPB Group fell 0.28 percent, Press Metal slid 0.21 percent, Public Bank tumbled 2.43 percent, QL Resources sank 0.42 percent, RHB Bank skidded 0.62 percent, Sime Darby declined 1.67 percent, SD Guthrie added 1.21 percent, Telekom Malaysia lost 0.31 percent, Tenaga Nasional rose 0.14 percent, YTL Corporation plummeted 7.51 percent, YTL Power plunged 6.83 percent and IOI Corporation, MRDIY, Petronas Chemicals, Sunway and Hong Leong Bank were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
South Korea Stock Market May Be Stuck In Neutral
(RTTNews) - The South Korea stock market has alternated between positive and negative finishes through the last five trading days since the end of the three-day slide in which it had slumped almost 40 points or 1.6 percent. The KOSPI now sits just above the 2,580-point plateau and it's likely to remain rangebound again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The KOSPI finished slightly higher on Friday as gains from the financial shares were offset by weakness from the technology sector.
For the day, the index added 2.24 points or 0.09 percent to finish at 2,583.27 after trading between 2,577.00 and 2,611.27. Volume was 454.58 million shares worth 10.14 trillion won. There were 617 decliners and 258 gainers.
Among the actives, Shinhan Financial rallied 3.39 percent, while KB Financial skyrocketed 8.37 percent, Hana Financial surged 4.07 percent, Samsung Electronics retreated 1.24 percent, Samsung SDI and LG Chem both stumbled 1.68 percent, LG Electronics plummeted 5.25 percent, SK Hynix strengthened 1.41 percent, Naver tanked 2.50 percent, Lotte Chemical perked 0.22 percent, SK Innovation sank 0.78 percent, POSCO skidded 1.18 percent, SK Telecom rose 0.35 percent, KEPCO slumped 1.08 percent, Hyundai Mobis spiked 2.60 percent, Hyundai Motor dropped 1.31 percent and Kia Motors jumped 1.98 percent.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
Lower Open Predicted For Hong Kong Stock Market
(RTTNews) - The Hong Kong stock market opened to the upside again on Friday, one day after ending the two-day winning streak in which it had advanced more than 280 points or 1.4 percent. The Hang Seng Index now sits just beneath the 20,600-point plateau although it's expected to move lower again on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The Hang Seng finished modestly higher again on Friday as gains from the technology stocks were capped by weakness from the financials and a mixed bag from the property stocks.
For the day, the index gained 100.55 points or 0.49 percent to finish at 20,590.15 after trading between 20,521.95 and 20,784.47.
Among the actives, Alibaba Group gained 1.27 percent, while Alibaba Health Info rallied 2.61 percent, ANTA Sports advanced 1.35 percent, China Mengniu Dairy accelerated 2.72 percent, China Resources Land sank 0.59 percent, CITIC perked 0.22 percent, CNOOC skidded 0.73 percent, CSPC Pharmaceutical and JD.com both added 1.30 percent, Galaxy Entertainment improved 1.33 percent, Haier Smart Home lost 0.17 percent, Hang Lung Properties rose 0.77 percent, Henderson Land shed 0.58 percent, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China dropped 0.63 percent, Lenovo strengthened 2.04 percent, Li Auto surged 5.10 percent, Li Ning jumped 2.45 percent, Meituan slumped 1.12 percent, New World Development soared 3.94 percent, Nongfu Spring increased 1.03 percent, Techtronic Industries climbed 1.86 percent, Xiaomi Corporation spiked 2.77 percent, WuXi Biologics skyrocketed 5.95 percent and China Life Insurance and Hong Kong China Gas were unchanged.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
Closer to home, Hong Kong will release September figures for imports, exports and trade balance. In August, imports were up 7.9 percent on month ad exports rose 6.4 percent for a trade deficit of HKS33.1 billion.
China Stock Market Expected To Open In The Red On Monday
(RTTNews) - The China stock market moved higher again on Friday, one day after halting the four-day winning streak in which it had rallied more than 135 points or 4 percent. The Shanghai Composite now sits just beneath the 3,300-point plateau although it's likely to see renewed selling pressure on Monday.
The global forecast for the Asian markets is murky amid concerns over the outlook for interest rates. The European and U.S. markets were mixed and fairly flat and the Asian markets are expected to follow suit.
The SCI finished modestly higher on Friday following mixed performances from the resource stocks and properties.
For the day, the index improved 19.44 points or 0.59 percent to finish at 3,299.70 after trading between 3,276.13 and 3,319.36. The Shenzhen Composite Index jumped 35.84 points or 1.85 percent to end at 1,974.65.
Among the actives, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China shed 0.65 percent, while Bank of China dropped 0.81 percent, China Construction Bank lost 0.61 percent, China Merchants Bank fell 0.53 percent, Agricultural Bank of China skidded 1.03 percent, China Life Insurance sank 0.77 percent, Jiangxi Copper rose 0.35 percent, Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco) plunged 3.74 percent, Yankuang Energy eased 0.13 percent, PetroChina slumped 0.71 percent, China Petroleum and Chemical (Sinopec) retreated 0.62 percent, Huaneng Power and Gemdale both declined 1.09 percent, China Shenhua Energy tumbled 0.87 percent, Poly Developments dipped 0.09 percent and China Vanke added 0.22 percent.
The lead from Wall Street again offers little clarity as the major averages opened slightly higher on Friday but slumped as the day progressed to end mixed.
The Dow stumbled 259.96 points or 0.61 percent to finish at 42,114.40, while the NASDAQ added 103.12 points or 0.56 percent to close at 18,518.61 and the SP 500 eased 1.74 points or 0.03 percent to end at 5,808.12.
For the week, the Dow tumbled 2.7 percent and the SP 500 slumped 1.0 percent, but the NASDAQ rose 0.2 percent.
Stocks moved mostly higher early in the session amid ongoing optimism about the outlook for the economy after the University of Michigan said consumer sentiment unexpectedly improved in October.
Buying interest waned over the course of the session, however, as treasury yields rebounded following Thursday's pullback amid lingering concerns the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates slower than previously anticipated.
Oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
Philips Cuts FY24 Sales View On Weak China Demand; Shares Hit
(RTTNews) - Shares of Philips N.V. were losing around 17 percent in the morning trading in Amsterdam as well as in pre-market activity on the NYSE, after the Dutch consumer electronics giant trimmed its comparable sales growth view for fiscal 2024 after reporting weak sales and orders and flat comparable sales in its third quarter. The sales mainly were hit by further deteriorated demand in China.
Meanwhile, the company now sees annual adjusted EBITA margin at the upper end of the previous outlook range, after reporting significantly higher profit in its latest quarter.
According to the firm, China remains a fundamentally attractive growth market in the long term, with market conditions expected to remain uncertain.
Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips, said, "In the quarter, demand from hospitals and consumers in China further deteriorated, while we continue to see solid growth in other regions. We have adjusted our full-year sales outlook to reflect the continued impact from China. Strong improvement in profitability was driven by progress on our execution priorities, productivity measures and the improved margins of our AI-driven, industry-leading innovations. Within a challenging macro environment, we remain focused on successfully executing our three-year plan to fully capture growth and margin expansion opportunities."
For fiscal 2024, the company now expects the annual adjusted EBITA margin to be around 11.5 percent, which is at the upper end of the previous range of 11 percent to 11.5 percent.
Reflecting the significant deterioration in demand in China, comparable sales growth is now expected within the 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent range for the full year 2024. Previously, comparable sales growth was expected to be between 3 percent and 5 percent.
But, Comparable sales growth outside of China remains within the 3-5 percent range.
The company now projects annual free cash flow to be around 0.9 billion euros, which is at the lower end of the range of 0.9 billion euros to 1.1 billion euros.
In its third quarter, Philips' net income attributable to shareholders climbed to 181 million euros from last year's 88 million euros. On a per share basis, quarterly earnings rose to 0.19 euro from 0.09 euro in the previous year.
The results reflected higher gross margin and lower Respironics field action running costs, partly offset by higher tax expenses.
Adjusted EBITA margin increased 160 basis points to 11.8 percent from 10.2 percent a year ago.
Meanwhile, sales for the third quarter declined 2 percent to 4.38 billion euros from 4.47 billion euros in the prior year.
Group comparable sales were flat on the back of 11 percent growth last year and deterioration in demand in China. Meanwhile, all other regions recorded growth.
In the quarter, comparable order intake declined 2 percent due to China, despite solid order intake growth in Diagnosis Treatment, particularly in the US.
Segment-wise, Diagnosis Treatment comparable sales decreased 1 percent, on the back of 14 percent growth last year, despite solid growth outside of China.
Connected Care comparable sales were flat, with growth in Enterprise Informatics and Sleep Respiratory Care offset by a lowsingle-digit decline in Monitoring.
In Personal Health, comparable sales decreased 5 percent due to a double-digit decline in China, more than offsetting a robust performance elsewhere.
In Amsterdam, Philips shares were trading at 24.55 euros, down 16.72 percent.
In pre-market activity on the NYSE, the shares were at $26.42, down 16.58 percent.
For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.com.
Commodity Currencies Fall As China Industrial Profits Drop
(RTTNews) - The Commodity currencies such as Australia, the New Zealand and the Canadian dollars weakened against their major currencies in the Asian session on Monday, after data showed that the Chinese industrial profits slid in September.
Sunday, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the industrial profits at large Chinese companies dropped 27.1 percent from a year earlier in September, accelerating from a 17.8 percent slump for the previous month. Profits fell 3.5 percent in the first nine months from the same period last year.
The third quarter saw China's GDP grow at its slowest rate since early 2023, and while Beijing scrambles to boost growth, the crisis-hit real estate market is not showing many signs of stabilizing.
Increased deflationary pressures, slower export growth, and muted loan demand were all noted in recent data, which raised concerns about the economic recovery and reinforced the argument for fiscal stimulus to spur development.
Oil prices were down nearly 5 percent in Asian trade after Israel's retaliatory strike on Iran over the weekend bypassed Tehran's oil and nuclear facilities.
The uncertainty about the outcome of the upcoming U.S. presidential election and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are weighing on market sentiment.
The Fed is still widely expected to lower rates by a quarter point next month, but CME Group's FedWatch Tool currently indicates a 24.0 percent chance the central bank will leave rates unchanged in December.
Traders will focus on Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Macklem's speech, due later in the day for fresh impetus.
In the Asian trading today, the Australian dollar fell to more than a 1-month low of 1.6391 against the euro, from Friday's closing value of 1.6341. The aussie may test support near the 1.65 region.
Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the aussie slid to nearly a 2-1/2-month low of 0.6579 and nearly a 1-1/2-month low of 0.9149 from last week's closing quotes of 0.6603 and 0.9172, respectively. If the aussie extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.64 against the greenback and 0.90 against the loonie.
The aussie edged down to 1.1039 against the NZ dollar, from Friday's closing value of 1.1046. On the downside, 1.09 is seen as the next support levels for the aussie.
The NZ dollar fell to nearly a 3-month low of 0.5957 against the U.S. dollar and more than a 2-month low of 1.8102 against the euro, from Friday's closing quotes of 0.5977 and 1.8055, respectively. The kiwi may test support near 0.57 against the greenback and 1.84 against the euro.
The Canadian dollars slid to nearly a 3-month low of 1.3907 against the U.S. dollar, from Friday's closing value of 1.3891. The loonie is likely o find support around the 1.40 region.
The loonie edged down to 1.5007 against the euro, from last week's closing value of 1.4993. On the downside, the loonie may test support near 1.51 against the euro.
Looking ahead, Canada wholesale sales data for September and U.S. Dallas Fed manufacturing business index for October are slated for release in the New York session.
Australian Market Modestly Higher
(RTTNews) - The Australian stock market is currently trading modestly higher on Monday, extending the slight gains in the previous session, following the mixed cues from Wall Street on Friday. The benchmark SP/ASX 200 index is moving up to stay above the 8,200.00 level, with gains in iron ore miners and technology stocks partially offset by weakness in gold miners and energy stocks.
The benchmark SP/ASX 200 Index is gaining 11.60 points or 0.14 percent to 8,222.90, after touching a high of 8,225.80 and a low of 8,199.70 earlier. The broader All Ordinaries Index is up 12.20 points or 0.14 percent to 8,479.50. Australian stocks closed slightly higher on Friday.
Among the major miners, BHP Group, Fortescue Metals and Rio Tinto are gaining more than 1 percent each, while Mineral Resources is edging down 0.5 percent.
Oil stocks are mostly lower. Origin Energy is edging down 0.2 percent and Beach energy is declining more than 1 percent, while Santos and Woodside Energy are losing almost 1 percent each.
Among tech stocks, Afterpay owner Block and WiseTech Global are gaining almost 1 percent each, while Xero is adding more than 2 percent, Appen is edging up 0.3 percent and Zip is advancing more than 6 percent.
Gold miners are mostly lower. Evolution Mining and Gold Road Resources are losing almost 2 percent each, while Resolute Mining is down almost 1 percent and Northern Star Resources is declining almost 5 percent. Newmont is gaining more than 3 percent.
Among the big four banks, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ Banking are edging down 0.3 to 0.4 percent each, while Westpac and National Australia Bank are edging up 0.1 to 0.3 percent each.
In the currency market, the Aussie dollar is trading at $0.660 on Monday.
On Wall Street, stocks turned in another mixed performance during trading on Friday after ending Thursday's session on opposite sides of the unchanged line. While the tech-heavy Nasdaq added to yesterday's strong gain, the Dow extended its losing streak to five sessions.
The Nasdaq ended the day up 103.12 points or 0.6 percent at 18,518.61, while the Dow slid 259.96 points or 0.6 percent to 42,114.40 and the SP 500 edged down 1.74 points or less than tenth of a percent to 5,808.12.
The major European markets also ended the day narrowly mixed. While the German DAX Index crept up by 0.1 percent, the French CAC 40 Index edged down by 0.1 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 Index fell by 0.3 percent
Crude oil prices rose sharply on Friday amid worries about geopolitical tensions and for potential output adjustments from OPEC. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for December closed up $1.69 or 2.3 percent at $71.78 a barrel. WTI crude futures gained 3.8 percent in the week.
DAX Rises As Middle East Tensions Ease
(RTTNews) - German stocks were modestly higher on Monday ahead of a busy week for earnings and economic data releases.
German consumer price inflation data, flash GDP numbers and employment data are due later in the week.
European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos' speech is awaited later in the day, with investors looking for clues on how aggressively the European Central Bank will cut interest rates going forward.
Meanwhile, Middle East tensions eased somewhat after Israel's strikes on Iran had avoided the country's energy infrastructure and Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei signaled a measured response.
The benchmark DAX was up 54 points, or 0.3 percent, at 19,517 after rising 0.1 percent on Friday.
