By Anna Prior
International companies trading in New York closed slightly
lower Wednesday as investors gave a lukewarm response to economic
data out of the U.S. and Europe.
The Bank of New York index of ADRs shed 0.1% to 138.15.
In the U.S., data showed retail sales grew 0.1% in January,
slightly beating market expectations of a flat reading.
Meanwhile, data out of Europe showed industrial production in
the euro zone rose 0.7% in December, beating expectations of a 0.3%
rise. Still, the overall decline for the fourth quarter was at the
steepest quarterly rate in more than three years.
The European index fell 0.1% to 130.29.
ING Groep NV (ING, INGA.AE) fell 3.5% to $8.96 after the Dutch
bank reported fourth-quarter results below expectations and said it
would slash 2,400 jobs to cut costs.
French oil group Total SA (TOT, FP.FR) said its fourth-quarter
earnings were boosted by higher refining margins and crude prices.
Shares rose 1.1% to $51.95.
The Asian index was flat at 137.32.
The U.S. government approved Cnooc Ltd.'s (CEO, 0883.HK) $15.1
billion purchase of Canadian oil-sands operator Nexen Inc.,
clearing the last significant hurdle in China's biggest overseas
acquisition. U.S.-listed shares of Cnooc rose 1.5% to $202.59.
The Latin American index fell 0.3% to 335.59 and the
emerging-markets index was essentially flat at 292.24.
Mexican telecommunications heavyweight America Movil SAB (AMX,
AMX.MX) reported a surprise drop in net profit in the fourth
quarter as revenue slipped on a stronger Mexican peso, operating
cash flow came in below expectations, and the company registered a
hefty financing charge. Shares fell 10% to $22.35.
Former antiapartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele quit her post as
chair of South Africa-based gold miner Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI,
GFI.JO), the company said Wednesday, stirring speculation about her
political ambitions. The chair changeover comes two days after Gold
Fields formally split all but one of its South African gold mines
into a separately run and owned business called Sibanye Gold. Gold
Fields shares fell 1.5% to $11.75.
Write to Anna Prior at anna.prior@dowjones.com