European stocks closed higher, lifted by deal talk in the utility sector, strong opening of U.S. markets and declining oil. However, telecoms weighed after mobile operator Vodafone Group announced it will write off up to $49 billion of its assets. The German DAX 30 soared 0.8%, the French CAC 40 added 0.1%, and London’s FTSE 100 rose 0.3%.

OIL, METALS, CURRENCIES

Crude oil prices sharply dropped, following solid gains after the bomb attack in a huge oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. Light sweet crude April delivery slipped $1.91 to $61 a barrel. London Brent for April delivery declined $1.91 to $61.00 per barrel. Gasoline futures for the immediate delivery were down 5 cents and 6 cents respectively and that for natural gas contracts were down 52 cents to $6.78 per MMBTU.

European gold prices further declined on eased inflation concerns. In London gold traded at the fixed price of $553 bid per troy ounce, down from $557.80. In Zurich the precious metal traded at $552.90, down from $557. In Hong Kong gold climbed $4.70 to $556.50. Silver opened at $9.59, up from $9.57. In New York gold fell $4.20 and closed at $557.00.

The U.S. dollar traded mixed against other major currencies. The euro traded at $1.1860, down from $1.1873. The dollar bought 116.04, down from 116.82. The British pound stood at $1.7398, down from $1.7445.

EARNINGS NEWS

The Warnaco Group Inc, (WRNC: chart), intimate apparel manufacturer, reported its Q4 net income dropped 42% to 20 cents a share, from 35 cents a share in the year-earlier period. Revenue fell 3.2%. The company stated that results dropped due to lower sales, an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses and a significant increase in pension expense. Analysts forecast earnings of 24 cents a share.

Gehl Co, (GEHL: chart), equipment maker, reported Q4 net income of 50 cents a share, almost double from 29 cents a share, in the year-ago period. A one-time item related to a reversal of a warranty charge added 12 cents a share to Q4 net income. Revenue advanced 16% to $108.7 million from $93.9 million. The company topped analysts’ forecasts of 35 cents a share.

Top Tankers Inc, (TOPT: chart), tanker operator, reported Q4 net income of $1 a share, up from 80 cents a share in the year-ago period. The results included a net charge of 13 cents a share, mostly for staff bonuses and compensation.. Revenue almost doubled.

Newmont Mining Corp, (NEM: chart), precious metals company, reported Q4 earnings from continuing operations of 16 cents a share, down from 34 cents a share a year-ago. The company added that Q4 results include items, such as losses on the writedown of certain assets, that decreased earnings by a total of 19 cents a share. Revenue advanced to $1.31 billion from $1.2 billion in the same period a year earlier. The company missed analysts’ estimates for a profit of 36 cents a share. The company attributed the lower earnings to industry-wide cost pressures.

Hormel Foods Corp, (HRL: chart), food products manufacturer, posted Q1 net income of 50 cents a share, up from 46 cents a share a year earlier on 11% higher sales but up just 1% excluding acquisitions, topping analysts’ estimate of 48 cents a share. For Q2, the company forecast earnings of 42 cents to 48 cents a share on a GAAP basis.

Laureate Education Inc, (LAUR: chart), higher education services provider, reported Q4 earnings of 89 cents a share, up from a profit of 65 cents a share a year-ago on 32% revenue growth. On a continuing operations basis, the company reported 91 cents a share. Total student enrollment for campus-based institutions advanced 41% in Q4. The company missed analyst estimate for a profit of 92 cents a share.

Lowe''s Cos, (LOW: chart), home improvement products retailer, reported Q4 earnings of 87 cents a share, up from a profit of 64 cents a share a year-ago on 26.4% sales and 7.8% same-store sales growth, beating analyst estimate of 80 cents a share.

NovaStar Financial Inc, (NFI: chart), U.S. mortgage lender and real estate investment trust, reported Q4 advanced 16% to 84 cents a share on 30.4%. revenue growth The company had delayed its earnings statement from Feb. 10 in order to obtain legal opinion on certain tax positions. NovaStar added that its strong portfolio earnings more than compensated for weakness in its mortgage banking business, primarily because of better-than-expected credit performance driven by rising home prices.

American Financial Realty Trust, (AFR: chart), real estate investment trust, reported that its Q4 net loss was down to $21 million, or 17 cents a share, from $6.3 million in the year-ago period despite 22.7% revenue growth. The company announced a loss of 20 cents a share from continuing operations and funds from operations at 17.5 cents a share in Q4, compared to 27.1 cents a share in the same period of 2004.

Harvest Natural Resources Inc, (HNR: chart), oil and gas company, reported Q4 net earnings of 27 cents a share, down from 39 cents in the same time the prior year period on a decline quarterly, reflecting lower oil and natural-gas production, but in line with analyst predictions. The company also said it is expecting average oil deliveries of about 21,000 barrels a day for Q1, down from the pace of 22,000 barrels a day at the end of 2005.

CORPORATE NEWS

UK-based utility National Grid announced that it agreed to acquire KeySpan (KSE: chart) at the total value of $7.3 billion, or $42 per share in cash. The company said the merger creates the third-largest energy delivery utility in the U.S. National Grid said it will honor all labor agreements with the KeySpan unions, but employee reductions will be made through attrition and voluntary programs. The transaction is expected to close by early 2007.