Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Asymmetric who wrote (162035)	3/1/2009 11:49:03 PM
From: Asymmetric	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 363176

Nikkei Slips 3.2% as Financial, Auto Stocks Fall . By ROSALIND MATHIESON and COLIN NG / WSJ SINGAPORE -- Asian shares started the week on a downbeat note amid worries about the health of large U.S. banks and the global economy, with financial stocks and Japanese auto companies falling. Risk aversion also hit the currency market, sending the euro and Asian currencies tumbling. "There's just no good news," said Macquarie Private Wealth associate director David Halliday. "The U.S. economy is in the worst shape it's been for probably 50 or 60 years, so it's hard for equities to rally." Japan's Nikkei 225 was down 3.2% with Australia's S&P/ASX 200 down 2.7% after hitting a three-month low, while South Korea's Kospi Composite was down 3.2% to its lowest intraday level since December 5 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was down 2.7%. The falls followed declines on Wall Street Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 11.72% for February as a whole, down six months in a row for its longest monthly losing streak since late 2002. HSBC Holdings shares were suspended from trade in Hong Kong before the release of its 2008 results and a corporate announcement. The bank planned to curtail its foray into U.S. consumer lending as it prepared to raise billions of pounds to shore up capital and possibly hunt for acquisitions, according to people familiar with the matter. Tokyo's declines were being led by financial and auto stocks with Mizuho FG down 4.3% and Mitsubishi UFJ FG lower by 5.1%. Honda fell 2.1% with Nissan down 3.3% and Toyota off 2.5% after their recent gains. Tachibana Securities operating officer Kenichi Hirano said the Nikkei 225 could test February 24's intraday low of 7155.16 in the near term, from 7325.96 recently. "Some aggressive sellers are actually seeing great opportunities now, because they can place large sell orders and still find buyers for them," he said.

To: Asymmetric who wrote (162035)	3/2/2009 8:29:28 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 363176

10:39 PC industry to see worst shipment drop ever in 09, according to Gartner - DJ - DJ reports the personal-computer industry will suffer its sharpest shipment decline ever this year as the global economy continues to deteriorate, said Gartner. The expected 11.9% drop to 257 million units is well beyond the previous worst decline recorded, 2001's 3.2% fall. "The PC industry is facing extraordinary conditions as the global economy continues to weaken, users stretch PC lifetimes and PC suppliers grow increasingly cautious," said Gartner research director George Shiffler. The dour forecast comes a week after Gartner sharply lowered its 2009 forecast on global semiconductor sales, predicting a 24% decline as the industry's woes continue to mount. Gartner expects a 10% drop in emerging markets this year, and a 13% decline in mature markets amid the global recession and the moves by consumers and suppliers to pare back. Shiffler said, "The impact of reduced replacements will be especially acute in mature markets," where they make up some 80% of total shipments. The global decline will be due to a projected 31.9% slump in desktop shipments to 101.4 million units. Laptops and other mobile PCs are seen posting 9% growth to 155.6 million amid a near doubling for mini-notebooks, a still-small segment of the computing world at just 8% of projected 2009 computer shipments. Excluding that segment, mobile growth this year is pegged at 2.7% in 2009.