[R]10:00PM Frankfurt, 4:00PM New York, 8:00AM Sydney – Techs, financials, and brokerage companies led the decline in the U.S. stocks. Only one of the thirty stocks in Dow closed higher.[/R]

European Markets

In London FTSE 100 Index closed lower 5.40 or 0.09% to 5,874.70, in Paris CAC 40 Index increased 3.25 or 0.07% to close at 4,858.65 and in Frankfurt DAX index lower 11.39 or 0.16% to close at 6,962.28. In Zurich trading SMI decreased 34.46 or 0.46% to close at 7,501.99.


North American Markets indexes

Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 175.26 or 1.40% to a close of 12,376.98, S&P 500 closed down 18.35 or 1.34% to 1,348.86, and Nasdaq Composite Index traded down 41.39 or 1.74% to a close of 2,332.54. In Toronto TSX Composite closed down 167.84 or 0.57% to close at 13,208.03.

Of the 30 stocks in Dow Jones Industrial Average, 1 closed higher, 29 closed lower, and none were unchanged.

Exxon Mobil was the lone gainers in the Dow Jones index with a rise of 0.07%. Intel led the decliners in the index with a fall of 3.5% followed by losses in JP Morgan of 3.4%, in Home Depot of 2.9%, in American Express of 2.5%, and in General Motors of 2.4%.

Of the stocks in S&P 500, 56 closed higher, 444 fell, and none were unchanged. Of the index stocks, 63 rose more than 3% and equal number of 9 stocks fell more than 3%.

Liz Claiborne led the decliners in the index with a fall of 18% followed by declines in Nvidia of 16%, in Jones Apparel of 9.9% and in Office Max of 8%. Apollo Group, CIT, and Network Appliance lost more than 6%. Ambac Financial led the gainers in the index with a rise of 12% followed by gains in MBIA of 8.4%, in Comcast Corp 8%, and in Goodyear of 7.4%.

South American Markets Indexes

In Latin Markets Colombia led the gainers in the region with a rise of 1.49% followed by increases in Venezuela of 1.24%. Brazil led the decliners in the index with a fall of 1.23% followed by losses in Chile of 0.77%, and in Mexico of 0.57%.

Asian Markets

In Tokyo Nikkei 225 Index closed higher 558.15 or 4.27% to 13,626.45, in Hong Kong Hang Seng index increased 852.13 or 3.68% closed to 24,021.68. Australia ASX 200 index increased 142.70 or 2.57% to close 5,684.80.

In South Korea Kospi Index increased 65.67 or 4.02% to close at 1,697.45, in Thailand SET index closed higher 2.70 or 0.33% to 832.11 and Indonesia JSE Index edged increased 64.86 or 2.48% to 2,675.65. Sensex index in India increased 817.50 or 4.82% to 17,766.63.

Bond Yields increased on 10-year U.S. bonds to 3.80% and on 30-year bonds rose to 4.62%.

[R]Commodities, Metals, and Currencies[/R]

Crude oil added $1.94 to close at $95.21 per barrel for a front month contract, natural gas increased 36 cents to $8.75 per mBtu, and gasoline futures increased 7.720 cents to close at 246.70 cents per gallon.

Gold increased $0.60 in New York trading to close at $910.80 per ounce, silver closed down 6 cents to $17.25 per ounce, and copper for front month delivery decreased 5.30 cents to 345.00 per pound and in London copper futures decreased $111.00 to $7,812.00.

Wheat futures rose 33.50 cents in Chicago trading and closed at $10.41 per bushel. Sugar increased 0.37 cents to 13.63 cents per pound. Soybean future closed up 38.50 cents to $13.85 per bushel.