4:00PM NY; 10:00PM Frankfurt; 1:30AM Mumbai - GLOBAL MARKETS

Global markets barely budged at the end of the first quarter after steadily rising in the first forty five days of the quarter. World markets lost their early advances in the quarter led by Shanghai sell-off at the end of February and weakness in the housing market in the U.S.

Shanghai indexes led the global markets with gains between 40% and 50% followed by advances in Australia, Singapore, South Africa and Mexico.

In Asia Japan closed nearly unchanged after rising as much as 6% in mid-February. India lost nearly 7% in the quarter after steadily rising above 40% for the last three years.

American markets failed to impress with meager gains. Nasdaq led the three popular indexes with a gain of 0.3% followed by rise of 0.2% in S&P 500 and a loss of 0.9% in Dow Jones Industrial Average.

For the quarter, European markets delivered worst performance in the last four years. Most major markets barely closed in the positive. Sweden and Norway lead the rise in the region with gains of 5.8% and 3.75% respectively. Germany advanced 4.85% and Austria edged up 4.1%. Belgium and Russia gained 1.9% and 2.1% respectively, Switzerland added 2.2% and Italy edged up 0.8%. U.K. barely budged with a gain of less than 0.4%.

In Latin America metals and mining driven companies led the regional indexes. Chile led the region with a gain of 16% followed by 10.3% rise in Mexico. Brazil rose less than 5% ad Argentina gained a fraction at the end of the quarter. High flying Venezuela surged in January but generated substantial losses in the last two months of trading and closed down 7.1%.


Yield on 10-year bond closed at 4.628% and the 30-year bond closed at 4.824%.

Gold advanced $1.400 to close at $669.000 a troy ounce, silver increased 11 cents to end at $13.450 a troy ounce and copper gained $101.00 to close at $6781.00 per metric ton.

Oil lost 16 cents to close at $65.870 a barrel and heating oil advanced 0.080 cents to finish at 187.800 cents a gallon. Natural gas increased 12.1 cents to close at $7.730 per MMBtu. Gasoline went down 2.050 cents to end at 211.500 cents per gallon.

Asian markets closed higher with Japan's Nikkei average striking an upbeat note on inflation data, but Hong Kong fell as investors await fresh earnings news. The advancers were led by Philippines with an increase of 1.64%, Indonesia with a gain of 0.73% and India with an advance of 0.71%. The only decliner was Hong Kong with a decline of 0.11%. Australia gained 0.56%.

European markets finished mixed with deal hopes in the banking sector and some better-than-expected U.S. data offset by a Vodafone Group-led pullback in the telecoms sector. The advancers were led by Germany with an increase of 0.29%, Spain with a gain of 0.25% and France with an advance of 0.05%. The decliners were led by Belgium with a decline of 0.49%, U.K. and Netherlands both with a decrease of 0.26% and Norway with a loss of 0.25%.

Latin America markets finished lower as investors followed release of U.S. inflation data, which exceeded expectations. The decliners were Argentina and Mexico both with a decline of 0.04%. The only advancer was Brazil with a gain of 0.39%. Canada lost 0.68% as oil and gas producers such as Canadian Natural Resources fell amid widespread profit-taking.


2:30PM NY, U.S. Market Movers

ASUR (ASR: chart), Mexican airport operator, said its chairman made a proposal to acquire 42.65% of the company's shares to give himself a controlling stake, sending its shares soaring. Chairman Fernando Chico Pardo would tentatively be willing to pay 56 pesos per share, Asur said, a 12.5% premium to the stock's closing price of 49.79 pesos. Shares climbed 7.2%.

Checkpoint Systems Inc. (CKP: chart), maker of technology used for retail security and merchandise labeling, said that its fourth-quarter earnings increased to $18 million, or 45 cents per share, compared with $9.33 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding tax costs and a capital lease settlement, the company's earnings from continuing operations rose to $20.6 million, or 51 cents per share, from $11.3 million, or 28 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 12% to $216.3 million versus $192.5 million a year earlier. The company also outlined plans to restate its results for certain prior periods. Shares of the company jumped 15.7%.

Clarient Inc. (CLRT: chart) shares climbed 9.8% after the company was initiated with a buy rating at Pacific Growth Equities. Clarient gave a 12-month fair value price estimate for the stock of $3.

Dendreon (DNDN: chart) shares soared 170.9% after an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of a product made by the company.

Gander Mountain Co. (GMTN: chart) shares rose 14.2% even after the retailer of hunting and outdoor gear said fourth-quarter profit declined. Gander Mountain said that net income for the fourth quarter fell to $15.3 million, or 85 cents per share, from $22.2 million, or $1.45 cents per share, in the year-earlier quarter. Adjusted for special items, earnings were 81 cents per share, below analyst expectations of 97 cents per share. Sales grew 16% to $326.9 million, compared with $280.8 million a year earlier, while same-store sales increased 0.4%.