Autostrade, BNP, Novartis, Sacyr, 3i: European Equity Preview

Archives Admin · #1 (**permalink**) 04-06-2006, 11:09 AM

The following stocks may rise or fall in European markets today. Prices are from yesterday's close.

The Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index added 1.2, or 0.4 percent, to 336.75. The Dow Jones Stoxx 50 gained 15.74, or 0.5 percent, to 3524.44. The Euro Stoxx 50, a benchmark for the 12 nations using the euro, rose 13.81, or 0.4 percent, to 3863.92.

ABB Ltd. (ABBN VX): The Swiss maker of power networks doesn't need acquisitions for growth and will focus on expanding its business this year by itself, Handelsblatt said, citing Chief Executive Officer Fred Kindle. The stock fell 15 centimes, or 0.9 percent, to 16.65 Swiss francs.

AFK Sistema (AFKS RU): The holding company that raised $1.56 billion last year in Russia's largest initial public offering plans to buy a 66 percent stake in WaveCrest Group Enterprises Ltd. for 20 million pounds ($35 million) to expand its telecommunications business internationally. Sistema shares added $10, or 0.8 percent, to $1,200.

Autostrade SpA (AUTO IM): Europe's biggest toll-highway operator is able to take on an extra 6 billion euros ($7.36 billion) to 7 billion euros in debt to invest in Italy and expand in eastern Europe, Chief Executive Officer Vito Gamberale said yesterday after markets closed. The company plans to hold an investor meeting to approve 2005 results today. The shares climbed 52 cents, or 2.6 percent, to 20.94 euros.

BNP Paribas SA (BNP FP): France's largest bank by market value lifted its stake in Banca Nazionale del Lavoro SpA (BNL IM), the Italian lender it agreed to acquire for 9 billion euros, to 50.4 percent of the shares. BNP shares gained 95 cents, or 1.2 percent, to 77.3 euros and Banca Nazionale closed unchanged at 2.91 euros.

CNP Assurances SA (CNP FP): France's biggest life insurer had a ``very good'' beginning to the year as rising stocks lifted demand for life products pegged to market returns, Chairman Gilles Benoist said in an interview yesterday. The stock climbed 3.55 euros, or 4.2 percent, to 87.3 euros.

Deutsche Postbank AG (DPB GY): Germany's biggest consumer bank by clients will restructure its Luxembourg operations, Boersen-Zeitung said, citing unit head Christoph Schmitz. The stock climbed 83 cents, or 1.4 percent, to 60.55 euros.

Enel SpA (ENEL IM): A regional court is scheduled to decide whether to suspend, lift, or uphold an order for Italy's largest utility to stop work on part of its Civitavecchia power plant. Enel shares rose 6 cents, or 0.8 percent, to 7 euros.

Holcim Ltd (HOLN VX): The world's second-largest cement maker was raised to ``overweight'' from ``underweight'' by analyst Alejandra Pereda at Morgan Stanley. The shares added 10 centimes, or 0.1 percent, to 105.7 francs.

Lagardere SCA (MMB FP): France's largest publisher is selling a 7.5 percent stake in European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. (EAD FP) worth 2 billion euros by using bonds that will be exchanged into EADS shares when the securities mature. Lagardere shares increased 2.35 euros, or 3.7 percent, to 66.6 euros, while EADS shares slipped 1.52 euros, or 4.4 percent, to 32.73 euros.

Nestle SA (NESN VX): The world's largest foodmaker will hold its annual shareholder meeting starting at 2:30 p.m. Swiss time. Nestle lost 1.75 francs, or 0.5 percent, to 383.75.

Novartis AG (NOVN VX): Novartis AG's Ciba Vision unit, the world's second-largest maker of contact lenses, sued to block Johnson & Johnson (JNJ US) from selling a new line of Acuvue lenses that Ciba says violates its patents. Novartis rose 25 centimes, or 0.4 percent, to 72.70 francs.

Sacyr Vallehermoso SA (SYV SM): Spain's fifth-biggest construction company tripled its holding in Eiffage SA (FGR FP) to 31 percent from 10 percent held on March 9 to become the No. 1 investor in its French rival. Sacyr shares gained 60 cents, or 2.1 percent, to 28.86 euros and Eiffage lost 30 cents, or 0.2 percent, to 145.2 euros.

Swatch Group AG (UHR VX): The world's biggest watchmaker will hold an analyst conference at the Cite du Temps in Geneva to discuss its annual 2005 results and the outlook for this year. The shares added 2.8 francs, or 1.3 percent, to 220.

Swisscom AG (SCMN VX): The Swiss government, owner of 62.5 percent in Switzerland's largest telephone company, said it may keep a minority stake in the country's former phone monopoly as it seeks parliamentary and public support for a sale of its holding. The stock rose 3.25 francs, or 0.8 percent, to 425.5 francs.

Technip SA (TEC FP): Europe's biggest oil-services company is among 12 companies pre-qualified to build Kuwait's new $6 billion refinery, the largest in the Persian Gulf, according to Ahmad al-Jemaz, the manager of the new refinery. Technip shares gained 1.3 euros, or 2.3 percent, to 57.65 euros.

Telecom Italia SpA (TIT IM): The German Internet unit of the Italian phone company may file a complaint with regulators as it seeks to access part of Deutsche Telekom AG's (DTE GY) infrastructure, the Financial Times Deutschland said, citing HanseNet Telekommunikation GmbH Chief Executive Officer Harald Roesch. Telecom Italia rose 1 cent, or 0.5 percent, to 2.42 euros and Deutsche Telekom lost 2 cents, or 0.1 percent, to 13.88 euros.

3i Group Plc (III LN): Europe's biggest publicly traded buyout firm raised its offer for Chorion Plc (COR LN), a U.K. producer of Agatha Christie television dramas, to 430 pence ($7.54) a share. The cash offer is 1.2 percent higher than the 425 pence per share offer 3i's Planet Acquisitions Ltd. made on Feb. 23. 3i shares slipped 4.5 pence, or 0.5 percent, to 930 pence and Chorion lost 3 pence, or 0.7 percent, to 429 pence.

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Autostrade, BNP, Novartis, Sacyr, 3i: European Equity Preview

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