1:00PM European markets closed slightly higher.
European stock markets finished modestly higher Tuesday, as weakness in the auto sector offset gains in financial-services stocks. Oil producers BP and Total also lent support to the European share market, gaining on higher crude prices. Automotive stocks weighed on the indexes, with BMW, down 0.9%, Volvo, down 0.6%, and Renault, down 0.5%.

London FTSE 100 ended flat at 6,202.60, with shares in British Land rising 1.1% on higher adjusted profit. Mining stocks also advanced. Shares in Lonmin climbed 3.4% after platinum futures rallied for a second day in a row. On the side of the losers, Icap closed down 1.8% as the world's largest interdealer broker reported a 1% dip in first-half net profit. Television broadcaster ITV lost 2.2% after it rejected a takeover offer from cable operator NTL worth about 4.7 billion pounds.

The German DAX 30 edged up 0.12%, supported by financial-service stocks, with Deutsche Boerse, up 3%. Shares in household-goods company Henkel and in Deutsche Bank rose 3.8% and 2.3% respectively after Merrill Lynch raised its price target for both companies. The French CAC 40 ended up 0.08%, supported by 1.9% gain for food group Danone after Goldman Sachs raised its rating on the company. Shares of aerospace group and Airbus owner EADS rose 2.6% from ahead of a management meeting on Friday.

Crude oil prices advanced amid temporary trouble with an Alaskan pipeline and a couple of U.S. refinery outages. Crude oil December contract rose 98 cents to $59.78 a barrel. Heating oil added 4 cents to $1.7145 a gallon, while gasoline rose 4 cents to $1.5975. Natural gas futures added 4 cents to $8.056 per 1,000 cubic feet. London Brent climbed 92 cents to $59.90. The U.S. dollar declined against its rival currencies. The euro was quoted at $1.2822, up from $1.2813. The dollar bought 118 yen, down from 118.09. The British pound was quoted at $1.8986, up from $1.8966. European gold prices further advanced. In London, gold traded at $627.80 per troy ounce, up from $624.10. In Zurich, the precious metal traded at $622.15 per ounce, up from $625.25. Silver closed at $13.04, up from $12.88.


11:30AM Stocks turned lower ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
After showing a lack of direction, U.S. stocks declined in late morning, as trading slowed ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. However, gains by Boeing Co. (BA: chart) provided support for the Dow. Company''s shares rose 1% after winning a $5.5 billion order for 25 planes from Korean Air Co. Google (GOOG: chart) topped $500 for the first time after the Internet search engine announced discounts for online shoppers, using its payment service during the holiday season. It traded up 1.7% at $503.50.

Among other movers of the day, Adobe Systems (ADBE: chart) gained 2.6% after it was upgraded to outperform from market perform at Wachovia. Dell (DELL: chart) gained 1% ahead of reporting quarterly results after the close of trade. Apple (APPL: chart) shares rose 1.2% on speculation that it is working on the launch of an Iphone that would combine the capability of its Ipod media player with a phone.

Significant weakness emerged in the semiconductor sector as well as the biotechnology sector. Cephalon (CEPH: chart) dropped 3.8% on reports that an investigation by the Connecticut attorney general found that the company engaged in questionable practices to expand sales of Actiq. Meanwhile, strong gains by gold and energy stocks helped to limit the downside for the major averages. In midmorning trading, the Dow pulled back 4.81, or 0.04%, to 12,311.73. The Standard & Poor''s 500 index was up 1.28, or 0.09%, at 1,401.78, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 2.64, or 0.11%, to 2,450.08. Bonds held steady with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note unchanged from Monday at 4.60%.


10:30AM The Sensex surges on the back of strong buying in large-caps.
The Sensex on BSE finished 186.06 points, or 1.3% higher, at 13,616.77. The market-breadth was very strong throughout the trading session, as the ratio between advancers and decliners was five to two. As 1,794 stocks advanced on BSE, 719 declined and 70 remained unchanged. The turnover on BSE was of Rs 4,041 crore, slightly lower than Rs 4,260 crore on Monday. The turnover on NSE was of Rs 9,098.66 crore, compared to Rs 9,628.51 crore on Monday. Of the Sensex index listed 30 stocks, 27 advanced, while the rest declined.

Economic news

India and China on Tuesday signed thirteen agreements, including one facilitating two-way investment flows and another for streamlining iron ore exports from India, as part of efforts to take bilateral ties to a higher orbit.

The number of telecom subscribers in India will reach a stunning 250 million by end of 2007 as the competition in the segment intensifies with aggressive expansion plans of regional and global players, according to a report.

Most active

Debutant Info Edge led the value chart with a turnover of Rs 465 crore followed by Mahindra Gesco, and Infosys.

Advancers

Cigarette maker ITC led the advance, surging 3.3% to Rs 184.35. Hindustan Lever advanced 2.2% to Rs 248.35. Bharti Airtel was among the main gainers, rising nearly 3% to Rs 622.35. The stock hit an all-time high of Rs 625.70. Reliance Communications gained 1.8% to Rs 416.70. The stock also attained an all-time high of Rs 418.

IT large-caps were in focus for the second straight day, following reports that top Indian IT firms were after over a dozen deals on an average, the sizes of which range between $50 - $100 million. Satyam Computer advanced 3.2% to Rs 455, HCL Tech rose 3% to Rs 647, TCS rose 2.8% to Rs 1,148 and Wipro added 2.6% to Rs 569.

Tata Steel gained nearly 3% to Rs 476.85. Tata Steel has called an unscheduled board meeting on Thursday, to discuss the fallout of CSN counter-bid for Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus.

Shares in Info Edge, India, which runs web sites for job search and matrimony, closed at Rs 593.20, a premium of 85.3% over the IPO price (Rs 320). The stock attracted a huge volume of 78 lakh shares on BSE.