4:00PM NY – 10:00PM Frankfurt – 2:30AM Mumbai
Market averages closed mixed on jobless claims and factory orders reports. European stocks gained on retail stocks. Asian Markets closed higher across the region.

Yield on the 10-year U.S. bond closed at 4.829% and the 30-year bond closed at 4.929%.

Gold lost $10.60 to close at $652.40 a troy ounce, silver declined 30.5 cents to end at $13.420 a troy ounce and copper decreased $136 to close at $5575.00 per metric ton.

Oil gained 1.6% to close at $58.940 a barrel and heating oil advanced 2.31 cents to finish at 168.200 cents a gallon. Natural gas decreased 6.5 cents to close at $7.465 per MMBtu. Gasoline went up 4.22 cents to end at 156.750 cents a gallon.

Asian markets closed higher helped by better outlook for American economic growth and lower inflation which boosted the export-oriented Japanese stocks. The advancers were led by South Korea with a gain of 2.19%, Thailand with an increase of 2.07% and Taiwan with an advance of 0.98%. Australia gained 0.30%. There were no decliners in the region.

European markets ended higher after a rally in the retail managed to offset sharp declines from some car and telecom equipment makers. The advancers were led by Belgium with an increase of 0.88%, Germany with an advance of 0.50% and the U.K. with a gain of 0.46%. There were no decliners in the region.

Latin America markets finished mixed on statements that U.S. economy continues strong but with some risk of inflation. The advancers were Brazil with a gain of 0.41% and Mexico with an increase of 0.35%. The only decliner was Argentina with a decrease of 0.01%. Canada lost 0.06% as investors locked in profits from the last three days of gains. Gold producers posted the biggest declines.

2:30PM NY – U.S. Market Movers

Secure Computing Corp. (SCUR: chart) swung to a profit of 7 cents beating the estimates of brake even by analysts in the fourth quarter, the stock jumped 29%.

Nextest Systems (NEXT: chart) jumped 16% after the company posted better-than-expected second-quarter earning. Nextest Systems said that it recorded second-quarter earnings of $2.2 million, or 12 cents a share, up from a year-ago loss of $95,000, or a penny per share.

CA Inc. (CA: chart) third-quarter profit slipped 12%, partly due to several large restructuring charges. The stock rose 6%.

Millipore Corp. (MIL: chart) shares jumped 7% following news of a surge in the company's fourth-quarter revenue and profit.

Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (HOV: chart) shares rose 5% after Banc of America Securities upgraded the stock to buy from neutral.

Griffon Corp. (GFF: chart) first-quarter profit rose about 25% on stronger communication segment sales.

Illumina Inc. (ILMN: chart) fourth-quarter profit skyrocketed, but shares fell in after-hours trading on guidance that included a sharp rise in expenses.

InfoUSA Inc. (IUSA: chart) fourth-quarter net income increased less than forecast and stock dropped 14%.

1:00PM European markets closed higher, as retailers rallied.
European stocks ended Friday session on a positive note after a rally in the retail managed to offset sharp declines from some car and telecom equipment makers. J Sainsbury shares soared 14% after a trio of private-equity firms said they were considering a takeover bid of about $18 billion. Of other supermarket groups, Carrefour rose 3.5%, Casino shares rose 1.7%, William Morrison shares climbed 5.9% and Ahold added 1.3%. On the side of the losers, shares in telecom-equipment maker Ericsson slid 6% after concerns about the company's outlook outweighed a 14% rise in Q4 net income. Automaker Renault fell 4.2% in Paris after its partly owned Nissan Motor Co. unit posted a 23% drop in Q3 profit and cut its full-year earnings outlook. Among other companies in focus, British Airways reversed from early weakness to close 1.6% higher. Shares in E.On rose 3.6% after Gas Natural withdrew its offer for Spanish utility Endesa. The U.K. FTSE 100 index closed 0.5% higher The German DAX 30 rose 0.5% and the French CAC-40 advanced 0.3%.

The U.S. dollar traded mixed against its major currency rivals. The euro was quoted at $1.2975, down from $1.3023. The dollar bought 121.11 yen, up from 120.72. The British pound was quoted at $1.9682, up from $1.9671. European gold prices declined. In London, gold traded at $644.75 per troy ounce, down from $658.29. In Zurich, the precious metal traded at $644.15 per ounce, down from $654.75. Silver closed at $13.25, down from $13.69.


11:30AM Market averages showed lackluster performance.
U.S. stocks continued to trade in a mixed fashion. In earnings-related news, Intuitive Surgical (ISRG: chart) surged 16% after reporting profit decline that came in above analyst estimates. Gannett Co. (GCI: chart), the nation's largest newspaper publisher, reported Q4 earnings increase of 3% to $354 million, or $1.51 per share, compared to $343 million, or $1.44 a share, in the year-ago quarter. The quarterly profit exceeded analyst forecasts of earnings of $1.49 per share. Revenue increased 7.55 from $2.21 billion to $2.05 billion. Shares of Gannett rose 2.2% in morning trading. Standard Pacific (SPF: chart) helped to lead the housing sector higher, with the homebuilder posting 8% gain on strong Q1 and full-year outlook.

On the side of the losers, InfoUSA Inc. (IUSA: chart), provider of business and consumer information products, said Q4 net income rose to 20 cents a share from 15 cents a share last year on higher revenue. The stock slipped 14%. Rackable Systems (RACK: chart) dropped 18% after it said Q4 profit fell sharply, largely due to declining gross margins. Homebuilder Brookfield Homes (BHS: chart) fell 10% after it reported net income drop of $2.19 per share from $4.36 per share a year ago on 40 % revenue decrease. Internet retailer Amazon.com (AMZN: chart) fell 3.5% on lower Q4 profit and concerns about thinning profit margins. Chevron (CVX: chart) lost 1.2% on 9% profit drop.