Equities markets were lower in Tokyo on Wednesday as profit-taking continued in several sectors. The Nikkei 225 dropped 0.6 percent to 17,383.42, while the Topix index fell 0.6 percent as well, to 1,721.96.
The shipping sector was lower not only on profit-taking but as crude oil prices rose. The sector as a whole dropped [...]

Wall Street was higher on Wednesday after the US Federal Reserve voted to leave interest rates at 5.25 percent for another month. The accompanying statement pronounced the economy “somewhat firmer” and said that the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed’s decision-making body, will continue to keep an eye on inflation.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, [...]

In Europe on Tuesday, the FTSE Eurofirst 300 was 0.3 percent higher to 1,522.27.
The airline sector was higher on news from mergers and acquisitions, as well as on recent broker upgrades and recent lower oil prices. Lufthansa was 1.8 percent higher to €21.76 and Iberia of Spain gained 2.3 percent to €3.17. Ryanair [...]

Trade in the London equities markets was slow again on Tuesday, as only 2.6 billion shares changed hands on the session. Still, both the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 saw gains on the day. The 100 added just 0.03 percent to 6,242, while the 200 was 0.2 percent higher to 11,131.
The energy sector [...]

Wall Street was higher at mid-afternoon on Tuesday as the reports period accelerated and produced mixed results. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.2 percent higher to 12,518.74, while the Nasdaq Composite had also added 0.2 percent to 2,446. The S&P 500 was up 0.45 percent to 1,426.95.
US Steel, 3M, Proctor & Gamble, [...]

In Tokyo on Monday the Nikkei 225 and the Topix index each added 0.3 percent on the session, to close at 17,470.46 and 1,733.59 respectively.
Export-focused sectors benefited as the yen weakened versus the US dollar. The machinery sector gained 1.4 percent as a whole, with Komatsu ending 3.4 percent higher to ¥2,560.
The steel sector [...]

In Europe on Monday the FTSE Eurofirst 300 added 0.3 percent to 1,517.07 on Monday despite declines in the telecommunications sector.
Telecoms were lower after Deutsche Telekom issued its second profits warning in six months, citing competition and currency issues. Citigroup lowered its recommendation on the German telecom from “hold” to “sell” and Deutsche Telekon [...]

The London equities markets were mixed on Monday as only 2.5 billion shares traded hands on the session. The FTSE 100 added 0.2 percent to 6,239.9, but the FTSE 250 dropped 0.1 percent to 11,104.
In the airlines sector, British Airways added 2.7 percent to 542p as investors were relieved that a threatened 2-day strike [...]

New York equities markets were slightly higher on Monday. By midday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.1 percent to 12,504.88, while the Nasdaq Composite had gained 0.15 percent to 2,439.12 and the S&P 500 added 0.04 percent to 1,422.71.
The banking sector was mixed on mergers news and rumors. First Republic Bank [...]

The FTSE Eurofirst 300 ended the week 0.5 percent lower than it began, closing at 1,512.70 on Friday. The declines came after posting a six-year closing high on Wednesday.
This is not to say that there were not individual gains on the week. Mobile phone manufacturer Nokia added 7.4 percent on the week to [...]