Vienna (dpa-AFX) – The Vienna stock market ended weak on Thursday after the US inflation figures. ATX lost 0.68 percent to 3398.23 points, then slightly higher before US data. Stock prices in leading European bourses also fell sharply towards the end of the session.
In the US, consumer prices rose surprisingly significantly in December compared to the same period last year. That somewhat dampened speculation that US key interest rates would soon be cut and disappointed equity investors, the trade said.
At the corporate level in Vienna, Acrana focused with a figure template and OMV with an interim quarterly report. Fruits, starches and sugar group Acrana benefited from a better performing sugar business in the first three quarters of the financial year. Consolidated profit was 78.1 million euros. A year ago there was only a small profit of 5.4 million due to depreciation in Ukraine and Russia. Sales were up about 8 percent to 2.95 billion euros. Acrana shares ended the day unchanged on a percentage basis.
Oil, gas and chemicals group OMV produced an average of 364,000 barrels of oil and gas per day in the fourth quarter – about the same as the previous quarter, but down 5.5 percent from a year ago. Natural gas production has increased slightly recently, but is still below last year's levels. OMV shares fell one percent.
Strawback closed with a slight minus of 0.2 percent. The construction company has landed a contract worth 137 million euros. Through its Czech subsidiary Strabac Rail, Strabac will renovate or expand the Masaryk railway station in the Czech capital, Prague.
There is no clear trend among overweight banks. Shares of Bawak fell 1.3 percent, while Raiffeisen Bank International rose 0.7 percent. Shares in Erste Group rose a modest 0.1 percent.
Among other heavyweights, shares of brick maker Weinerberger lost 1.6 percent. Composites also fell 1.6 percent. Voestalpine fell 1.1 percent. In the real estate sector, s Immo titles gained another two percent after already increasing by more than six percent the previous day. Among technology stocks, AT&S fell two percent./ste/spa/APA/jha
