Airlines, banks see mixed session in Europe

European equities markets were higher on Thursday‘s session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 1.15 percent to 1,515.76. In Madrid, the IBEX gained 0.92 percent to 14,313.4, while the Dax was up 1.09 percent to 7,519.94 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC-40 was 1.31 percent higher to 5,592.53. Utilities, the semiconductors sector, industrial gases providers and some retailers were higher, while airlines and banks were mixed. The health care sector saw declines.

In London, the FTSE 100 added 1.3 percent to 6,212 and the FTSE 250 was 1.91 percent higher to 11,099.5. There were gains among pubs operators and brewers, while property developers and homebuilders were mixed. The oil sector, along with property developers and house builders, were mixed. Retailers were lower on the session.

Most Asia-Pacific equities markets were higher Thursday after Wednesday’s gains in the US markets. In Australia the S&P/ASX200 added 0.57 percent to 6,135 and the Sydney Ordinaries gained 0.6 percent to 6,138. South Korea’s Kospi index was 0.85 percent higher to 1,841.7, while in India the Sensex was up 0.86 percent to 14,121.74. The Shanghai Composite gained 1.14 percent to 5,167.88 and the Taiex added 1.48 percent to 8,771.21. In Hong Kong the Hang Seng index jumped 2.02 percent to 23,484.54. The exception to the gains came in Singapore, where the Straits Times index closed down at 3,321.15.

In Tokyo the Nikkei 225 was up 0.88 percent to 16,153.82, while the Topix index added 0.69 percent to 1,568.23 and the Mothers market gained a bare 0.03 percent to 716.29 on low trade volumes. Traders and oil refiners were higher, while the electronics sector also saw gains. Retailers saw declines on lower sales in July.

Wall Street was mixed in mid-afternoon trade. Gains in the technology sector kept the Nasdaq Composite higher as it added 0.34 percent to 2,571.95, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen back from earlier gains to a decline of 0.16 percent to 13,267.91 while the S&P 500 was down 0.21 percent to 1,460.63. Computer makers and related sectors saw gains. While home improvement retailers were higher, there were declines in other segments of the retail sector.

Story link: Airlines, banks see mixed session in Europe