RDW leads home builder declines on 250

European equities markets were mixed Tuesday, with most up but a few lower.

In London the FTSE 100 dropped 0.01 percent to 4,404.79 while the FTSE 250 added 0.05 percent to 7,691.65.

Four out of five of the top losers on the 250 were home builders, with Bovis Homes Group (LSE: BVS) down 3.92 percent while Taylor Wimpey (LSE: TW) was down 4.58 percent, Berkeley Group Holdings Units (LSE: BKG) was 5.21 percent lower and Redrow (LSE: RDW) dropped 5.26 percent.

Over on the 100, travel agent Thomas Cook Group (LSE: TCG) saw the best result of the day as it added 10.04 percent while insurer Aviva (LSE: AV) dropped 2.82 percent for the worst performance of the day on the index.

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.51 percent to 869.56 while the CAC-40 was up 0.21 percent to 3,296.73 and the IBEX gained 1.08 percent to 9,497.7 but the Dax dropped 0.14 percent to 4,997.86.

Carmakers were mixed as Volkswagen (FWB: VOW) again led gainers on the Dax as it added 2.54 percent, but Daimler (FWB: DAI; NYSE: DAI) dropped 1.44 percent and Renault (Euronext: RNO) was 2.13 percent lower on the session.

Over on the CAC-40, waste management group Veolia Environment (Euronext: VIE; NYSE: VE) led gainers as it added 5.31 percent and sector peer Suez Environment Company (Euronext: SEV, SEVB) was up 1.5 percent.

Banks were mixed as Credit Agricole (Euronext: ACA) added 2.27 percent but Deutsche Bank (FWB: DBK; NYSE: DB) fell 1.38 percent and Societe Generale (Euronext: GLE) dropped 2.04 percent.

The biggest loser of the day on the Dax was stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1), which was down 2.96 percent, while over on the CAC-40 Air France-KLM (Euronext: AF; NYSE: AKH) dropped 5.15 percent for the worst performance of the day on that index.

Most markets in the Asia-Pacific region were lower on the session.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 was 0.8 percent lower to 9,786.82 while the Topix index fell 0.93 percent to 918.24 and the Mothers market dropped 2.31 percent to 396.55.

Traders and metals-related companies were lower after declines in metals prices on Monday, but shares related to the semiconductors sector saw gains.

Mobile-phone operator Soft bank (TYO: 9984) added 2.2 percent after Apple (NAS: AAPL) introduced a new iPhone and cut prices on its earlier models.

Markets were lower in Australia after being closed Monday for a public holiday as the Sydney Ordinaries fell 0.89 percent to 3,933.6 while the S&P/ASX200 dropped 0.91 percent to 3,934.9.

The Hang Seng was down 1.07 percent to 18,058.49 while the Kospi was 1.54 percent lower to 1,371.84 and the Taiex dropped 3.22 percent to 6,414.39.

Gainers in the region included the Straits Times Index, which added 0.69 percent to 2,349.87 while the Shanghai composite was up 0.71 percent to 2,787.89 and the Sensex gained 3.14 percent to 15,127.

New York markets were mixed in afternoon trade as the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.04 percent lower at just past 1:30 p.m. local time while the Nasdaq Composite had added 0.87 percent to 1,858.34 and the S&P 500 was 0.24 percent higher to 941.35.

American Express (NYSE: AXP) was the biggest gainer on the Dow in afternoon trade as it advanced 4.41 percent while aircraft manufacturer Boeing (NYSE: BA) was the worst performer on the session so far with a decline of 2.24 percent.

Story link: RDW leads home builder declines on 250