World Market Shorts

WINDHOEK (IHN Namibia) – A 182-day treasury bill auction will be held today, with tender form bids to be in at the Bank of Namibia before 10h00. Treasury bills worth N$230 million are on offer with N$250 million maturing today. Rossing Mine, due to higher spot market prices for uranium oxide (up US$5/lb from a year ago) is to introduce a salary incentive to increase production.

JOHANNESBURG (IHN Namibia) – The Investec Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) increased to 52.last month; its highest reading in 12 months. Retail petrol prices are to increase by 30 cents a litre on February 4, SA’s Department of Minerals and Energy said. UK (IHN Namibia) -With the economy growing in strength and consumer spending continuing, the Bank of England is expected to raise the base rate by 0,25 per cent to 4 per cent tomorrow. The rise, the first since last November, would be an attempt to slow down increasing housing costs, analysts think. The GDP expanded at its fastest rate in almost three years in the last three months of 2003 – up by 0,9 per cent.MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican stocks finished higher on Monday, bolstered by Spain’s second largest bank’s US$$4.1 billion offer for the 41 per cent it doesn’t already own of Bancomer, its Mexico unit. The IPC finished 2.2 per cent, or 205.09 points higher at 9,633.86. Volume totalled 5.8 million pesos.SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) – Brazilian stocks fell for the fifth straight session on Monday, with the Ibovespa dropping 0.3 per cent to 21,786 points. Volume totalled 1.2 million reals.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – Argentine stocks slipped on Monday as the Merval fell 0.95 percent to 1,129.86 points. Volume was 35 million pesos.SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Chilean stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, bolstered by gains in Entel and Banco Santander Santiago. The Ipsa index finished 0.2 per cent higher at 1,411.33 points on volume of 10.280 million pesos. Entel rose 1.5 per cent to 3,450 pesos after reporting a 45 per cent increase in profit last year as compared to 2002. Santander Santiago finished 3.2 per cent higher at 15.33 pesos.CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan shares closed higher on Monday with the IBC General Stock Index closing at 28,065 points, up from 27,956 points on Friday. Shares of telephone giant CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela rose 1 bolivar to 7,907 bolivars.UK (IHN Namibia) -With the economy growing in strength and consumer spending continuing, the Bank of England is expected to raise the base rate by 0,25 per cent to 4 per cent tomorrow. The rise, the first since last November, would be an attempt to slow down increasing housing costs, analysts think. The GDP expanded at its fastest rate in almost three years in the last three months of 2003 – up by 0,9 per cent.MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexican stocks finished higher on Monday, bolstered by Spain’s second largest bank’s US$$4.1 billion offer for the 41 per cent it doesn’t already own of Bancomer, its Mexico unit. The IPC finished 2.2 per cent, or 205.09 points higher at 9,633.86. Volume totalled 5.8 million pesos.SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) – Brazilian stocks fell for the fifth straight session on Monday, with the Ibovespa dropping 0.3 per cent to 21,786 points. Volume totalled 1.2 million reals.BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) – Argentine stocks slipped on Monday as the Merval fell 0.95 percent to 1,129.86 points. Volume was 35 million pesos.SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Chilean stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, bolstered by gains in Entel and Banco Santander Santiago. The Ipsa index finished 0.2 per cent higher at 1,411.33 points on volume of 10.280 million pesos. Entel rose 1.5 per cent to 3,450 pesos after reporting a 45 per cent increase in profit last year as compared to 2002. Santander Santiago finished 3.2 per cent higher at 15.33 pesos.CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) – Venezuelan shares closed higher on Monday with the IBC General Stock Index closing at 28,065 points, up from 27,956 points on Friday. Shares of telephone giant CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela rose 1 bolivar to 7,907 bolivars.