Tuesday December 18, 7:04 am Eastern Time
GE up in Europe, U.S. stocks seen firm
LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Shares in U.S. industrial giant General Electric Co
(NYSE:GE - news) climbed in Europe on Tuesday after upbeat comments from the
company, which helped create a positive tone and indicate a firm opening for U.S. shares.
Dealers said GE shares had traded as
high as $39.10 in Europe, up two percent from their closing price of
$38.30 on Monday. By 1125 GMT the shares were trading at $38.97 on
the Instinet electronic brokerage.
GE said after Monday's close that its 2001 profit would meet analysts'
targets and grow by up to 18 percent in 2002 as strength in its long-cycle
businesses outweighs the impact of a weak economy.
GE is expected to lend support other stocks, and the major U.S. indices
are predicted to open with modest gains. The S&P 500 March futures
contract was last up 1.7 points at 1,139.7, while the Dow March futures
contract was up 14 points at 9,916.
Shares in U.S. microchip maker Micron Technology Inc (NYSE:MU - news) pushed higher after news it had bought a U.S.
chip-making plant from Japan's Toshiba. South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc also said it was still in tie-up talks with
Micron despite the U.S. firm's deal with Toshiba.
Micron traded on Instinet at $31.00 and dealers said it traded in Europe at $31.50, up from its Wall Street close of $30.70.
Dealers said activity was limited elsewhere. Amgen (NasdaqNM:AMGN - news), the biotechnology company that confirmed
on Monday plans to buy drug-maker Immunex Corp. (NasdaqNM:IMNX - news), traded at $60.25, up from its regular close
of $59.49.
Network equipment firm Cisco Systems (NasdaqNM:CSCO - news) nudged about 10 cents above Monday's closing price of
$19.26.
GE up in Europe, U.S. stocks seen firm
LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Shares in U.S. industrial giant General Electric Co
(NYSE:GE - news) climbed in Europe on Tuesday after upbeat comments from the
company, which helped create a positive tone and indicate a firm opening for U.S. shares.
Dealers said GE shares had traded as
high as $39.10 in Europe, up two percent from their closing price of
$38.30 on Monday. By 1125 GMT the shares were trading at $38.97 on
the Instinet electronic brokerage.
GE said after Monday's close that its 2001 profit would meet analysts'
targets and grow by up to 18 percent in 2002 as strength in its long-cycle
businesses outweighs the impact of a weak economy.
GE is expected to lend support other stocks, and the major U.S. indices
are predicted to open with modest gains. The S&P 500 March futures
contract was last up 1.7 points at 1,139.7, while the Dow March futures
contract was up 14 points at 9,916.
Shares in U.S. microchip maker Micron Technology Inc (NYSE:MU - news) pushed higher after news it had bought a U.S.
chip-making plant from Japan's Toshiba. South Korea's Hynix Semiconductor Inc also said it was still in tie-up talks with
Micron despite the U.S. firm's deal with Toshiba.
Micron traded on Instinet at $31.00 and dealers said it traded in Europe at $31.50, up from its Wall Street close of $30.70.
Dealers said activity was limited elsewhere. Amgen (NasdaqNM:AMGN - news), the biotechnology company that confirmed
on Monday plans to buy drug-maker Immunex Corp. (NasdaqNM:IMNX - news), traded at $60.25, up from its regular close
of $59.49.
Network equipment firm Cisco Systems (NasdaqNM:CSCO - news) nudged about 10 cents above Monday's closing price of
$19.26.