For the year Germany led the gainers in the region with a rise of 12% followed by 7% increase in Spain, 3.8% in the UK, in 1.3% in France, and 26% decline in Ireland. Russia rose 27% in its dollar denominated index.

Asian Markets

In Hong Kong trading Hang Seng index jumped 1.62% or 442.05 to 27,812.65, up 39% for the year, while the China Enterprises index of H shares rose 0.83% to 16,124.72.

Sensex in India rose 80.04 or 0.4% to close at 20,286.99 and for the year rose 47%.

China led the region with a rise of 120% followed by 52% rise in Indonesia, 47% increase in India, 39% gain in Hong Kong, 14% increase in Singapore, and 11.8% advance in Australia.

Bond Yields decreased on 10-year U.S. bonds to 4.02% and 30-year bonds to 4.45%.

Commodities, Metals, and Currencies

Crude oil rose 13 cents to close at $96.13 per barrel for a front month contract, natural gas increased 11 cents to $7.502 per mBtu, and gasoline futures decreased 1.88 cents to close at 249.70 cents per gallon.

Crude oil for the year rose 60% in 2007.

Gold edged lower $4.70 in New York trading to close at $838.00 per ounce, silver closed up 2.50 cents to $14.92 per ounce, and copper for front month delivery declined 3.10 cents to 304.10 per pound and in London copper futures rose $79.50 to $6,859.50 in Friday’s trading.

Gold for the year in 2007 rose 31%, its best annual rise in twenty eight years.

Dollar edged higher against euro to $1.4594 and lower to 111.6850 yen. For the year dollar lost 11.8% against euro in 2007.




4:00PM New York, 10:00PM Frankfurt - Europe stocks eased on the last day of trading in 2007.

Key European markets were closed on Monday and will be closed on Tuesday for New Year''s holiday.

The U.K. FTSE 100 dropped 0.3% in short trading session. The U.K. stocks had rallied during the last two trading weeks lifted by gains in oil stocks after the assassination of Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and a sharp drop in U.S. oil inventories. FTSE 100 index added 11% in 2006.
Retailers traded mixed, with shares of home-improvement outlet Kingfisher sliding 2.6% while Marks & Spencer traded flat as investors mulled data about shopping patterns over Christmas as well as a slowing in U.K. mortgage lending.

In Paris, the France''s CAC 40 lost 0.2% or 13.2% to 5,614.08 led by Gaz de France SA after the company announced that it will earn $132 million less during the first quarter. The company attributed this to a lower-than-planned increase in gas rates. Shares of the company dropped 1.6%.

During the year, the French benchmark surged 1.3%, the consecutive fifth rise in a row.

Among the stocks that led the decliners in the CAC 40 index, Veolia lost 1.3% to 62.45 euros, Danone lost 1.2%, Suez edged lower 1.2%, Accor SA retreated 0.1%, but Air France-KLM Group rose 0.8%.