Semiconductors sector gains in Europe

Markets in Europe were higher on the session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.49 percent to 1,583.69. In Frankfurt the Dax gained 0.29 percent to 7,985.41, while the Paris CAC-40 was up 0.77 percent to 5,818.8 and the IBEX jumped 0.99 percent to 15,430.5 in Madrid. The semiconductors sector was higher, was were food processors. Utilities and the steel sector were mixed.

In London, the FTSE 100 added 0.96 percent to 6,677.7 and the FTSE 250 gained 1.51 percent to 11,538. Brewers were higher on bids rumors. Supermarkets and some other retailers were also higher, as were food processors and the tobacco sector. Some miners and banks were lower, and the oil sector also saw losses.

Equities markets in Asia and the Pacific were mixed on Wednesday, with most major markets seeing declines on the session. The most notable decline came in India, where the Sensex dropped 1.76 percent to 18,715.82 after dropping nearly 10 percent at one point in the day, forcing trade to stop for an hour after news that new rules to promote transparency in trading will be introduced later in the month.

Other decliners on the session included the Australian markets, where the S&P/ASX200 dropped 0.18 percent to 6,680.1 and the Sydney Ordinaries fell 0.23 percent to 6,696.1. In Taiwan the Taiex index was down 0.32 percent to 9,562.16. The Shanghai Composite was 0.92 percent lower to 6,036.28 while South Korea’s Kospi index dropped 1.09 percent to 1,983.94. On the other hand, the Straits Times index added 0.76 percent to 3,839.73 in Singapore while in Hong Kong the Hang Seng index gained 1.19 percent to 29,298.71

Tokyo’s markets were lower on the session after banks declined on news from US bank Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) that it had lost $892 million to bad home equity and consumer loans in the third quarter and that earnings will likely be hurt in the fourth quarter as well. The Nikkei 225 was 1.07 percent lower to 16,955.31 while the Topix index dropped 1.54 percent to 1,600.29 and the Mothers market fell 1.05 percent to 824.34. Banks and brokers were lower, was were the steel sector, shippers and some exporters, although toymakers saw gains.

The New York markets were mixed in early afternoon trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.58 percent lower to 13,832.46. The S&P 500 was also lower, falling 0.37 percent to 1,532.89, but the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.25 percent to 2,770.73. The semiconductors sector, internet search engines and some banks saw gains, while computer makers and some manufacturers were lower on the session.

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