MORNING DIGEST by David Peacock - Tue 9 Feb 2010

US Equities: U.S. stocks slid and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed below 10,000 for the first time since November on concerns the deteriorating European government finances will derail the global economic recovery. Bank of America and American Express lost around 2.8 percent for the biggest declines in the Dow. On the Nasdaq, OMX Group Inc. fell 4 percent to lead the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index lower even after its earnings forecast topped some analysts’ estimates. Home Depot Inc. rose 2.2 percent and Google Inc. climbed 0.4 percent on analyst upgrades.
The S&P 500 lost 0.9 percent to 1,056.74 and the Dow slipped 103.84 points, or 1 percent, to 9,908.39. Almost four stocks retreated for each that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. All 10 major groups in the S&P 500 fell today.

JSE: The JSE ended the session firmer on Monday after a volatile day amid good interest for stocks at low levels, following the sharp sell-off in global equities over the past few weeks. The JSE Top 40 index rose 256 points or 1.11% to end at 23 367, with the All Share index up 0.96% at 26 042. Resources gaining 1.62%, platinum miners were up 2.41% and gold miners rose 2.31%. Financials added 0.25% and banks gained 0.88%, with industrials up 0.65%.

MID-DAY WRAP - by Lezel de Klerk - Tue 9 Feb 2010

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Market turnover - R2 844 239 000 All Share Index up 0.97% Resources up - 1.54% Gold mining down - 0.20% Industrial up - 0.65% and Financials up - 0.51%