Weak Data from the US is Unsettling

Stock exchanges barely made any headway on Thursday.

Stock markets worldwide seem to have left adjustments behind them; not much excitement could be felt on Thursday. In the afternoon most European indexes were either in the red or oscillating around a flatline, and the U.S. indexes started in the red.

Disappointing U.S. job market numbers were to blame for the disillusionment. January retail sales numbers came out surprisingly low. Retailers made about 0.4 percent less money than in the previous month, according the U.S. Department of Commerce. Economies had expected stagnating sales. Excluding the auto industry, profits remained at the previous month’s levels. Additionally, within the past week, more people applied for unemployment assistance than expected.

Among the biggest losers were bank shares. But in Vienna the value of a share in Mayr-Melnhof, a manufacturer of folding boxes, went up: The dividend for the 2013 fiscal year went up 15 cents to €2.40 plus an additional special dividend of another €2.40 per stock certificate.

In contrast, heavyweights like Verbund, Voestalpine and Raiffeisen Bank International lost a lot of ground.