By Jonathan Morgan Apr 15, 2014 3:15 PM GMT+0800

European stocks were little changed, after yesterday&rsquo s advance, as investors weighed violence in eastern Ukraine and the slowest Chinese money supply growth in almost 13 years. U.S. futures and Asian shares were also little changed.

L&rsquo Oreal SA gained 1.1 percent after posting an increase in first-quarter revenue. Roche (ROG) Holding AG rose 1.4 percent after reporting quarterly sales that met analyst estimates.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index climbed 0.1 percent to 330.21 at 8:08 a.m. in London. Standard & Poor&rsquo s 500 Index futures added 0.1 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.1 percent.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Ukrainian crisis by telephone yesterday without any substantial breakthrough, according to statements from their offices, as fighting between pro-Russian separatists and government forces highlighted instability in east Ukraine.

China&rsquo s broadest measure of new credit fell 19 percent in March from a year earlier and money supply grew at the slowest pace since 2001, according to the People&rsquo s Bank of China. Data tomorrow is forecast to show economic growth slowed in the first quarter.

A report from the ZEW Center for European Economic Research at 11 a.m. in Mannheim may show a measure of German investor confidence declined this month to 45 from 46.6 in March, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

Data at 8:30 a.m. New York time may show the Federal Reserve Bank of New York&rsquo s so-called Empire State manufacturing index increased to 8 this month from 5.61 in March, economists surveyed by Bloomberg forecast.

L&rsquo Oreal (OR) advanced 1.1 percent to 122.05 euros. The world&rsquo s largest cosmetics maker said first-quarter revenue, excluding currency shifts and acquisitions, rose 3.5 percent. That was the smallest gain since the final quarter of 2009.

Roche rose 1.4 percent to 257.7 Swiss francs. The world&rsquo s biggest manufacturer of cancer drugs said first-quarter sales fell 0.8 percent to 11.5 billion francs ($13.1 billion) as the strength of the Swiss franc reduced the value of its revenue in the U.S., Japan and emerging markets.

 

By Adam Haigh Apr 15, 2014 8:34 AM GMT+0800

Asian stocks rose for the first time in three days after the largest jump in U.S. retail sales since 2012 added to optimism that the recovery in the world&rsquo s biggest economy is intact.

Nissan Motor Co. led Japanese exporters higher. Asics Corp. gained 3.7 percent in Tokyo after Nomura Holdings Inc. advised buying shares of the sportswear maker. Rio Tinto Group (RIO) climbed 1 percent in Sydney after iron-ore production at the world&rsquo s second-largest miner rose to a record in the first quarter. SK Hynix Inc. advanced 2.3 percent in Seoul after Shinhan Investment forecast improved profit at the semiconductor maker.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.4 percent to 137.83 as of 9:29 a.m. in Tokyo, before markets open in Hong Kong and China. The gauge fell yesterday to a two-week low, taking its loss this year to 2.8 percent amid concern Chinese economic growth is slowing and as a stronger yen weighs on the earnings outlook for Japanese exporters.

&ldquo The backdrop of improving global growth and relatively subdued inflation should be positive for the earnings environment and ultimately equities,&rdquo Keith Poore, who helps manage $131 billion as Wellington-based head of investment strategy at AMP Capital Investors Ltd., said by phone. &ldquo Valuations though have got a bit ahead of themselves and our portfolio has become a little bit less aggressive.&rdquo

Futures on the Standard & Poor&rsquo s 500 Index were little changed today after the U.S. equities benchmark index climbed 0.8 percent yesterday. Retail sales increased in March by the most since September 2012, Commerce Department figures showed yesterday. Citigroup Inc. (C) surged after reporting an unexpected first-quarter profit increase.

Regional Gauges

Japan&rsquo s Topix index and Australia&rsquo s S& P/ASX 200 Index both gained 0.6 percent. New Zealand&rsquo s NZX 50 Index added 0.1 percent and South Korea&rsquo s Kospi index advanced 0.4 percent.

Futures on Hong Kong&rsquo s Hang Seng Index (HSI) and contracts the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index of mainland shares listed in the city both gained 0.3 percent in most recent trading.

The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index advanced 0.3 percent yesterday in New York, with Internet stocks leading gains. Baidu Inc., owner of China&rsquo s most popular search engine, climbed 2.7 percent. NQ Mobile Inc., a mobile-services provider that has been the target of short-seller Carson Block since October, plunged 13 percent, extending its three-day loss to 34 percent.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index traded yesterday at 11.9 times estimated earnings compared with 15.6 for the S& P 500 and 14.5 for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

 

By Sofia Horta e Costa Apr 14, 2014 3:16 PM GMT+0800

European stocks fell for a third day, after completing their worst week in a month, as investors weighed increasing violence in Ukraine. U.S. stock-index futures were little changed, while Asian shares dropped.

Kuehne & Nagel International AG lost 1.6 percent after the world&rsquo s biggest sea-freight forwarder reported first-quarter sales that missed estimates. Symrise AG dropped 2.3 percent after offering to buy Diana Group. STMicroelectronics NV (STM) slipped as UBS AG recommended selling the stock. PSA Peugeot Citroen slid 3.7 percent after setting a 2018 profitability target for its automotive unit. Glencore Xstrata Plc increased after selling its stake in the Las Bambas copper mine in Peru.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index fell 0.4 percent to 327.62 at the 8:14 a.m. in London for a third day of losses, its longest streak in a month. Standard & Poor&rsquo s 500 Index futures dropped less than 0.1 percent, while the MSCI Asia Pacific Index lost 0.4 percent today.

Russia called an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council as officials from the U.S. and Moscow blamed each other amid violence in eastern Ukraine. Camouflaged gunmen fired on Kiev government troops near Slovyansk, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from Ukraine&rsquo s frontier with Russia, killing one serviceman and wounding five, the Ukrainian government said.

Ukraine Crisis

Envoys from Ukraine, Russia, the U.S. and European Union are scheduled to hold talks in Geneva April 17 to resolve the crisis. Intelligence reports suggest the Russian plan is to split Ukraine into federated regions, some of which may then vote to rejoin Russia, according to two U.S. officials.

Euro-area data at 11 a.m. in Luxembourg will probably show industrial production climbed 0.2 percent in February from a month earlier, economists projected.

In the U.S., a Commerce Department report at 8:30 a.m. in Washington may show that retail sales rose last month, indicating the world&rsquo s largest economy is recovering from a winter-led slowdown earlier this year.

Kuehne & Nagel fell 1.6 percent to 120.90 Swiss francs. The company said sales slipped 1.3 percent to 4.13 billion francs ($4.71 billion) in the first quarter. Analysts had predicted 5.22 billion francs on average. Earnings before interest and taxes increased to 190 million francs, less than the 192 million-franc analyst projection compiled by Bloomberg.

Symrise Falls

Symrise dropped 2.3 percent to 35.02 euros. The company has offered 1.3 billion euros ($1.8 billion) to buy Diana Group, a French flavors and pet-food additive maker. Symrise has entered into exclusive talks with owner Ardian Sarl, and the deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter, according to an April 12 statement.

STMicroelectronics lost 2 percent to 6.28 euros as UBS cut its rating on the chipmaker to sell from neutral, with analyst Gareth Jenkins citing the stock&rsquo s valuation.

Rheinmetall AG, an automotive and defense-equipment supplier, declined 3.5 percent to 48.85 euros. Bild am Sonntag reported that a sale of 800 Leopard 2 Battle tanks to Saudi Arabia will probably be canceled.

Peugeot slid 3.7 percent to 13.18 euros. Europe&rsquo s second-largest carmaker outlined plans to cut its model lineup by almost half and turn the Citroen unit&rsquo s DS badge into a separate brand. The carmaking unit&rsquo s operating margin will amount to 2 percent of sales by 2018, with the figure rising to 5 percent in the 2019-2023 period, the company said.

Glencore Xstrata added 1.1 percent to 315.1 pence after selling Las Bambas to a group led by China Minmetals Corp. for $5.85 billion. The sale completed the final condition by Chinese regulators for Glencore&rsquo s $29 billion takeover of Xstrata Plc.