12:30PM European markets closed in the negative.
European markets ended Thursday trading session lower, dragged by a profit warning from Tomkins and U.S. market losses amid worries about the economic slowdown. Shares of engineering company Tomkins slipped 15% after releasing a profit warning about the state of the U.S. residential and automotive equipment markets. Commodity stocks were among the most notable decliners, as retreating oil prices exerted pressure on the sector. Among oil majors, BP fell 1.9%, Royal Dutch Shell dropped 1.4%, and Total declined 1.6%. The German DAX 30 closed down 0.7%, the French CAC 40 was lower by 1.1%, and London FTSE 100 tumbled 1.2%.


11:30AM Stocks remained weak on inflation anxieties.
Disappointing guidance from homebuilders and lingering inflation concerns pressured the U.S. stock markets in early trading on Thursday. Housing stocks helped to lead the market lower after Beazer Homes (BZH: chart) and KB Home (KBH: chart) both cut their full year earnings outlook. Beazer declined 5.81% to $36.14, while KB Home was down 2.95% to $39.20. Dow components Caterpillar Inc. (CAT: chart) fell 1% and Boeing Co. (BA: chart) dropped 1.1%. Hewlett-Packard Co.''s (HPQ: chart) stock fell 1.2% after California''s attorney general said his office sent out subpoenas in a probe of whether the computer maker may have used illegal means to investigate boardroom leaks. In late morning trading, the Nasdaq fell 8.64, or 0.40%. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 57.95, or 0.51%, and the Standard & Poor''s 500 index was off 5.74, or 0.44%. Bonds were unchanged, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note flat with the 4.80% seen late Wednesday. The yield hit a five-month low of 4.73% Friday.

Crude oil inventories fell, gasoline stockpiles rose.
Crude oil inventories slipped in the most recent week, according to government statistics released Thursday. This reversed most of a surprise inventory build recorded in the previous week. Meanwhile, gasoline stockpiles edged higher. The Department of Energy''s Energy Information Administration said that crude oil inventories slipped 2.2 million barrels in the week ended September 1. Specifically, the measure fell to 330.6 million barrels from the previous week''s level of 332.8 million barrels. In the previous week, oil inventories broke a streak of declines, with an advance of 2.4 million barrels. Oil inventories for the September 1 week were 6.2% higher than last year, when the impact of Hurricane Katrina had much of the Gulf of Mexico''s oil and gas facilities out of action. Meanwhile, gasoline inventories showed a week-over-week increase 700,000 barrels. This followed an advance of 400,000 barrels in the previous week. The level of gasoline inventories was 6.6% above last year. Distillate fuel oil had an inventory increase of 3.1 million barrels for the week ended September 1. This followed an advance of 1.3 million barrels reported in the previous week. The government usually released petroleum inventory data on Wednesdays. However, the announcement was delayed a day by Monday''s Labor Day holiday.


10:30AM The Sensex ends in negative territory in a volatile trading.
The Sensex lost 79.36 points, or 0.67%, to close at 11,853.85. The market-breadth was weak as 1246 stocks advanced, 1294 declined and 83 stocks remained the unchanged. The turnover on BSE was Rs 3,299 crore, compared to Wednesday’s Rs 3,084 crore. The turnover on NSE was Rs 6,290 crore.

Housing financing company HDFC spurted 4% to Rs 1,365 after the Union Cabinet approved a $720-million overseas real estate investment fund. Maruti Udyog advanced 2.3% to Rs 914.70 on the news that it will make 50,000 vehicles for Japan''''s Nissan Motor Company.

Suzuki and Nissan to invest $1.5 billion and build an auto plant at Manesar, Haryana to manufacture small car for the export market. The production is likely to begin in less than 30 months.

The auto sector was strong in late trading today. TVS Motors surged nearly 7% to Rs 118.55, Eicher Motor gained 3.6% to Rs 239.50, Punjab Tractors advanced 3.4% to Rs 238 and Tata Motors gained 1.7% to Rs 900. However, Bajaj Auto sank 2% to Rs 2,775 and Hero Honda declined 1.2% to Rs 710. With a sharp drop in crude oil price from a record high of $78 a barrel, hopes still exist that the government will not raise domestic fuel price.

Another company that gained was Jet Airways soaring 16% to Rs 688 on heavy volume. The sharp fall in global crude oil price is expected to benefit the air carrier. L&T closed up 0.8%, to Rs 2,577 after reaching to Rs 2,625 in the morning trade. Hindustan Zinc advanced 2.2% to Rs 638.50 on reports that it has raised zinc price by Rs 11,600 per tonne (6.4%) and lead price by Rs 2,800 a tonne.

Reliance Communications has reportedly place an order for 2 million handsets with Nokia and plans to sell them below Rs 2,000 (or $40) per unit. Currently only LG Electronics provides handset to the company at that price level. Reliance has more than 25 million cell phone service subscribers.

Several small cap auto sector companies rose. Munjal Auto spurted 10% to Rs 216, Clutch Auto gained 6% to Rs 116.55, Minda Industries climbed 5.7% to Rs 166, Goetze India gained 3.6% to Rs 332, Automotive Axles rose 3.5% to Rs 492, Omax Autos jumped 3.5% to Rs 97.75, Automobile Corporation of Goa gained 3% to Rs 340 and Denso India rose 2.2% to Rs 85.50.

Index heavy Reliance Industries lost 1.1%, to Rs 1,124 and Hindustan Lever dropped 0.6%, to Rs 237.55. Hindustan Lever reported on Thursday that it will sell 51% in Unilever India Shared Services to Capgemini S.A.

The sharp decline in the Nasdaq weighed on software stocks. Satyam Computer decreased 1.9% to Rs 798, Wipro sank 1.7% to Rs 515, Infosys slipped 1.6% to Rs 1,803 and TCS lost 0.7% to Rs 988.


09:45AM Stocks opened down on slowing housing market.
Stocks markets were weak at opening, with negative sentiment generated by signs of slowing housing market amid disappointing guidance from homebuilders. Subsequently, the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index fell 1.7%, dragged by KB Home (KBH: chart) and Beazer Homes (BZH: chart) are posting notable losses after cutting their full year earnings forecasts. Significant weakness also emerged in the gold sector, as gold for December delivery dropped by $12.80. In the first hour of trading, the Nasdaq fell 8.77, or 0.40%.The Dow Jones industrial average fell 37.62, or 0.33%, and the Standard & Poor''s 500 index was off 4.43, or 0.34%. Bonds fell, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note falling to 4.82% from 4.80% late Wednesday.

UTi Worldwide Inc, (UTIW: chart), logistics and freight forwarder, reported its Q2 net income for fiscal 2007 rose to 24 cents a share, compared with 23 cents a share in the year-earlier period. Revenue at the company rose 30% to $890.1 million from $686.2 million. The company matched analysts’ forecast for earnings of 24 cents a share.

America''s Car Mart, (CRMT: chart), retailer, reported that Q1 net income fell 15% to 35 cents a share, from 41 cents a share in the year-ago period despite 6.9% revenue growth. The company missed analyst expectations for earnings of 40 cents a share. The company reduced its 2007 earnings outlook to $1.50 to $1.56 a share, from $1.56 to $1.63 a share on difficult economic issues currently affecting a large part of Car-Mart''s customer base.

Fleetwood Enterprises Inc, (FLE: chart), recreational vehicle maker, reported Q1 losses narrowed to 1 cent a share, from 53 cents a share a year earlier. If not for discontinued operations, the company would have had a profit of 1 cent a share vs. last year''s loss of 31 cents a share. The company beat analysts’ views for a loss of 12 cents a share. Q1 revenue fell 14% to $529.8 million from last year''s $616.5 million, with sales at its RV group down 12%, at its housing group down 29% and at its supply group down 6%. he company said it expects pressure on margins to continue through the fiscal second quarter due to weak motor home sales and highly competitive travel trailer market.

Movado Group Inc, (MOV: chart), watch maker, reported Q2 earnings of 43 cents a share, up from a profit of 33 cents a share a year-ago. Sales rose 9.8% to $126.6 million from $115.3 million in the same period a year earlier. Same-store sales increased 9.3% for Q2. The company topped analysts’ forecasts for a profit of 39 cents a share.