GLOBAL MARKETS: European Stocks Dn; Signs Of Recovery In Focus

LONDON (Dow Jones)--European stocks were a tad lower Thursday, with weaker oil and basic resources stocks reining in any upward momentum and as investors weighed up the tentative signs of global economic recovery.
"Signs of recovery continue to emerge, but question marks remain over their breadth and depth," said Kenneth Broux, economist at Lloyds Banking Group. For example, while U.S. durable goods orders on Wednesday cheered markes, new home sales disappointed. "Not surprising then, that policy makers continue to sound only a cautious note of optimism," Broux added.
At 0800 GMT, the pan European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.3% at 205.7. In London, the FTSE 100 ticked up and down in a tight range, and was last seen flat at 4278.2. Frankfurt's DAX declined 0.5% to 4812.5, and Paris's CAC-40 was 0.3% lower at 3174.5.
Corporate news dominated sentiment in the absence of any euro zone macro data. In Sweden, shares in L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co. fell 0.7% after the company announced its chief executive Carl-Henric Svanberg is to leave his position to join BP as its chairman. There were concerns over the lack of an immediate replacemen for its chief financial officer, who is moving into the top job. Shares BP crept up 0.4%. However, most energy companies were down overall as investors weighed up the bearish overall tone on the crude oil market.
This was not the only movement amongst the senior ranks of European blue-chips. Shares in UBS fell 2.4% after its chairman and chief executive Rory Tapner of the bank's Asia-Pacific business stepped down, with immediate effect. This is not the first high-profile departure for the Swiss bank who has been one of the major victims in Europe of the credit crunch.
Meanwhile in corporate news which reflected the mood of consumers on the high street, shares in DSG International increased 3.2% despite posting a 78% drop in fiscal '09 profit. Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz gained 1.1%. Its growth in quarterly earnings beat expectations, but May sales in comparable stores fell as much as anticipated.
Earlier, U.S. stocks ended mixed Wednesday, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average marked its fourth straight loss Wednesday.
The DJIA fell 0.3% to 8299.9, the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index rose 0.7%, to 900.9 and the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 1.6%, to 1792.3, its biggest point and percent gain since June began.
The Federal Reserve concluded a two-day meeting Wednesday, leaving interest rates unchanged as expected, but shifting some of its post-decision sentiment. "The Fed's statement downgraded the risk of deflation and provided a modest upgrade in its assessment of the economy," said Michael Sheldon, chief market strategist with RDM Financial Group. "But the Fed also said that overall the economy remains weak, although the pace of contraction has been slowing."
Still, Asian share markets shrugged off the mixed finish from Wall Street to post some solid gains Thursday.
Japan's Nikkei 225 closed up 2.1% and South Korea's Kospi Composite also ended 2.1% higher. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was 1.8% higher.
The crude oil futures market were little changed as the market digested the Fed's statement from the U.S. and the weekly EIA inventory data.
"The economy may no longer be getting worse, but there are no clear signs that it is actually improving, yet. And, in oil, traders are wondering whether to follow the dollar, equities or oil demand," says Peter Beutel at Cameron Hanover
At 0815 GMT, the August crude contract on Globex stood at $69.10 per barrel, up 41 cents, having settled Wednesday at $68.67 per barrel, down 57 cents, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Spot gold stood at $935.20/oz, around $4 higher.


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