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International markets roundup

A ROUNDUP of trading on major world markets:

NEW YORK - A sharp fall in shares of the world's largest retailer Walmart pulled stocks lower Friday, though steep losses were averted by a final-hour rebound.

At the closing bell the broad-based S&P 500 was down 1.59 points (0.10 per cent) to 1,519.79.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 8.37 points (0.06 per cent) at 13,981.76, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite slid 6.63 points (0.21 per cent) to 3,192.03.

Walmart shares lost 2.2 percent to $69.28 after a news report cited company documents saying the company's sales so far in February were a "disaster".

LONDON - Europe's main stock markets retreated while the US dollar and euro rose against the yen as Group of 20 finance ministers met amid growing talk of "currency wars".


London's FTSE 100 index of leading companies ended flat at 6,337.07 points, with news that British retail sales sank 0.6 per cent in January from December, instead of a forecasted 0.6-per cent gain, weighing on sentiment.

Frankfurt's DAX 30 shed 0.49 per cent to 7,593.51 points, and in Paris the CAC 40 lost 0.25 per cent to 3,660.37 points.

Madrid's IBEX 35 index dropped 1.18 per cent to 8,150.2 points and Milan's FTSE MIB gave up 0.33 per cent to 16,490 points.

The euro drifted up to $US1.3363 from $US1.3356.

HONG KONG - Asian stocks closed mixed while the euro eased and markets awaited the start of a Group of 20 meeting in Russia.

Tokyo fell 1.18 per cent, or 133.45 points, to 11,173.83 ahead of the G20 weekend summit where Japan's controversial monetary policy will figure prominently.

Hong Kong gained 0.13 per cent, or 31.31 points, to 23,444.56 while Seoul ended flat, edging up 1.57 points to 1,981.18.

WELLINGTON - The NZX 50 Index fell 42.46 points, or one per cent, to 4196.73.

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