(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei 225 17,887.21 +166.78 +0.94%

Hang Seng 23,832.56 +403.94 +1.72%

S&P/ASX 200 5,368.79 +46.97 +0.88%

Shanghai Composite 2,900.36 +120.84 +4.35%

FTSE 100 6,679.37 -37.26 -0.55%

CAC 40 4,323.89 -67.97 -1.55%

Xetra DAX 9,851.35 -120.44 -1.21%

S&P 500 2,071.92 -2.41 -0.12%

NASDAQ Composite 4,769.44 -5.04 -0.11%

Dow Jones 17,900.1 -12.52 -0.07%

Stock indices closed lower on comments by the European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi. He said at a press conference on Thursday that the central bank will decide early next year whether to add further stimulus measures to boost inflation in the Eurozone.

Draghi pointed out that the central bank had discussed various options of quantitative easing (QE).

The central bank kept its interest rate unchanged at 0.05%.

The ECB cut its inflation and growth forecasts. Inflation forecast for the Eurozone was lowered to 0.5% in 2014 from the previous estimate of 0.6%, to 0.7% in 2015 from the previous estimate 1.1% and to 1.3% in 2016 from the previous estimate 1.4%.

The ECB also cut its economic growth forecast for the Eurozone. The growth was lowered to 0.8% 2014 the previous estimate of 0.9%, to 1.0% in 2015 from the previous estimate of 1.6% and to 1.5% in 2016 from the previous estimate of 1.9%.

Investors were disappointed as they speculated that the ECB will announce further stimulus measures.

The Bank of England kept its interest rates unchanged at 0.5% and its asset purchase program unchanged at £375 billion. This decision was widely expected.

Analysts expect that the BoE will delay its interest rate hike until the second half of 2015 because of low inflation, weak wages growth in the U.K. and a slowdown of the economic growth in the Eurozone.

Indexes on the close:

Name Price Change Change %

FTSE 100 6,679.37 -37.26 -0.55%

DAX 9,851.35 -120.44 -1.21%

CAC 40 4,323.89 -67.97 -1.55%

U.S. stock futures fell as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said policy makers will wait until next quarter before assessing if additional stimulus measures are needed.

Global markets:

Nikkei 17,887.21 +166.78 +0.94%

Hang Seng 23,832.56 +403.94 +1.72%

Shanghai Composite 2,900.36 +120.84 +4.35%

FTSE 6,680.84 -35.79 -0.53%

CAC 4,335.09 -56.77 -1.29%

DAX 9,886.62 -85.17 -0.85%

Crude oil $66.90 (-0.73%)

Gold $1208.50 (-0.02%)

(company / ticker / price / change, % / volume)

Upgrades:

Procter & Gamble Co (PG) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse

Downgrades:

Wal-Mart (WMT) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS

Other:

FedEx (FDX) target raised to $200 from $175 at Oppenheimer

European indices are trading stronger today ahead of ECB's policy meeting in Frankfurt, U.S. initial jobless claims later in the day at 13:30 GMT and U.S. unemployment rate and nonfarm payrolls due on Friday. The FTSE 100 index gained +0.04% quoted at 6,719.40 points after earlier in the day U.K.'s Halifax House Price Index was published reading +0.4% in November, compared to -0.4% in October. The BoE left the Asset Purchase Facility unchanged at GBP375 billion. Benchmark interest rates stayed at 0.5%. France's CAC 40 added +0.46% trading at 4,411.97 and Germany's DAX 30 gained +0.52% trading at 10,023.46 points close to an all-time high.

European stocks are trading around their openings in today's session ahead of the ECB interest decision and press conference scheduled for 12:45 and 13:30 GMT in Frankfurt. Market participants bet on additional stimulus to be announced.

Markets also await data on U.K.'s interest rate decision, asset purchase facility and the MPC rate statement and later in the day the U.S. initial jobless claims.

Earlier in the day U.K.'s Halifax House Price Index was published reading +0.4% in November, compared to -0.4% in October. The House Price Index for 3 months year on year decreased to +8.2% with a previous reading of +8.8%.

The FTSE 100 index is currently trading negative losing -0.12% quoted at 6,708.65 points, Germany's DAX 30 added +0.19% at 9,990.50, just below the important 10,000 points level. France's CAC 40 lost -0.09%, currently trading at 4,387.98 points.

U.S. markets closed higher posting gains after a better-than expected ISM Non-Manufacturing report. Earlier in the day ADP reported that the U.S. private sector created 208,000 jobs in November, falling short of expectations of 223,000 after 233,000 jobs added in October. The Fed's beige book indicated solid growth in the world's largest economy. The DOW JONES added +0.18% closing at 17,912.62 points and the S&P 500 rose +0.38 with a final quote of 2,074.33 points.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng is trading +1.51% at 23,782.99. China's Shanghai Composite closed at 2,900.36 points, a gain of +4.35%, accumulating a gain of nearly 36% since the beginning of the year.

Japan's Nikkei rose for a fifth consecutive day, gaining +0.94% closing at 17,887.21 - near a 7-1/2 year high, as the yen continued to weaken supporting export stocks. Polls showed that Prime Minister Abe will post solid wins at the December 14^th election obtaining a broader support for his policy called "Abenomics" - his plan to strengthen the Japanese economy.

(index / closing price / change items /% change)

Nikkei 225 17,720.43 +57.21 +0.32%

Hang Seng 23,428.62 -225.68 -0.95%

Shanghai Composite 2,779.53 +15.98 +0.58%

FTSE 100 6,716.63 -25.47 -0.38%

CAC 40 4,391.86 +3.56 +0.08%

Xetra DAX 9,971.79 +37.71 +0.38%

S&P 500 2,074.33 +7.78 +0.38%

NASDAQ Composite 4,774.47 +18.66 +0.39%

Dow Jones 17,912.62 +33.07 +0.18%