The jolt comes from the Apple. Apple delivered an electrifying message after markets closed last night as markets responded with an 8 percent rise in the shares of the world's most capitalized company.
The following contributed to favoring the boom: a) the unexpected growth in sales of the iPhone (+5%); b) the decision to increase the share buyback from 60 to 90 billion within the year, accelerating the plan from 130 billion by 2015; c) the split of the shares, whereby each shareholder will receive 6 new shares for each one already owned.
The news coming from Apple could compensate today for the shock of the bad indications arriving yesterday from the economy: sales of new homes fell by 18% in March, a figure that favored the retracement of the lists after six upward sessions: S&P 500 -0,22%, Dow Jones -0,08% and Nasdaq -0,83%.
As usual, the slowdown in the US stock exchanges, accentuated by the worsening of the Chinese economy, was reflected in the European markets which were also rewarded in the morning by the good PMI data for March (+1,1%): Frankfurt closed at -0,58, 0,74%, Paris -0,11%. London did better -1,18%. The worst Stock Exchange was Piazza Affari -XNUMX%.
In Asia, Tokyo opened today's session slightly up (+0,12%) while the quarterly earnings season is also starting in Japan. The accounts of Canon, Panasonic, Honda and Ntt Docomo are expected in the coming days. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng rose by 0,05% and Shanghai dropped by 0,18%.
Expectations (and nervousness) are growing for the next Fitch verdict: Italy's rating will be updated on Friday, today BBB+ negative outlook. Today 3-3,5 billion Ctz maturing in April 2016 and 750-1,5 billion Btpei (securities indexed to European inflation) are up for auction. Next Monday 6-month Bot auction for 7 billion.
The Btp/Bund spread rises to 157 bp, the 3,09-year yield is 3,57%. Portugal issued its first long-dated bond in a non-syndicated auction yielding a yield of 3,4% and a demand of 750 times the supply of €17m. A success that prepares the country's exit from the aid plan expected on May XNUMX: it would be the second country after Ireland to exit the bailout plan.
In Milan, sales affected all sectors to a certain extent. Among the banks, Banco Popolare was under fire -4,82%, on the first day of discussion of the rights to the former capital increase. The two big Unicredit -2,25% and Intesa -1,6% fell after the positive response on the eve of the memorandum on the bad bank signed with Kkr and Alvarez Marsal. Also down are Bpm -2,5% and Ubi -2,4%.
The exception is Monte Paschi, with a jump of 3,3% after the decision by Goldman Sachs to cancel the institute from the list of securities to be sold. It has been disclosed that Blackrock has reduced its stake in the institute to 3,4%. Telecom Italia is also on positive ground +0,90% thanks to the positive notes in the Kepler Chevreux report.
Difficult day instead for industrialists: Pirelli -2,40%, after the negative opinion of HSBC. Fiat fell -2,04% and Prysmian -1,21%. The recovery of Yoox continues between and luxury companies +2,11%.