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

Nikkei 14,897.63 +176.15 +1.20%

Hang Seng 22,579.78 -77.85 -0.34%

Shanghai Composite 2,053.08 -18.39 -0.89%   

S&P 1,873.81 -0.10 -0.01%

NASDAQ 4,357.97 +6.00 +0.14%

Dow 16,360.18 -35.70 -0.22%

FTSE 6,775.42 -48.35 -0.71%    

CAC 4,391.25 -4.65 -0.11%

DAX 9,542.02 -47.13 -0.49%

European stocks were little changed, after rallying yesterday by the most in eight months, as data showed the region’s services output expanded faster than estimated while U.S. hiring missed projections.

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index slipped less than 0.1 percent to 337.06 at the close in London. The benchmark gauge gained 2.1 percent yesterday as investors speculated that the military standoff in Ukraine will not lead to war.

A purchasing managers’ index for euro-area services industries rose to 52.6 in February, higher than a provisional reading of 51.7, Markit Economics said. Similar gauges showed services in Germany and the U.K. expanded faster than estimated. Italian services swung from contraction to expansion last month, separate data showed.

A report from the ADP Research Institute showed that American companies added 139,000 workers in February, lower than economists’ estimate of 155,000 and the 127,000 recruited the previous month.

Benchmark indexes fell in seven of the 18 markets in western Europe. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 slid 0.7 percent, Germany’s DAX dropped 0.5 percent and France’s CAC 40 lost 0.1 percent.

Subsea 7 SA declined 7.8 percent to 108 kroner. The offshore oil-services provider said fourth-quarter net income totaled $72 million, trailing the $105 million analysts had predicted.

Lonmin Plc, the third-largest platinum producer, slid 2.4 percent to 293.9 pence. The world’s third-largest platinum producer said it won’t meet its full-year sales target of at least 750,000 ounces because of a strike. More than 70,000 members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union have been on strike since Jan. 23 in South Africa, which accounts for more than 70 percent of platinum production.

Jupiter Fund Management Plc fell 5.3 percent to 405.8 pence. TA Associates Inc., which invested in the London-based company before its initial public offering in 2010, sold its remaining 10.6 percent stake.

Admiral Group rose 7.5 percent to 1,526 pence, the highest price since August 2011, after the U.K. motor insurer posted 2013 pretax profit of 370.2 million pounds ($619 million), exceeding the 363.7 million-pound estimate of analysts.

U.S. stock-index futures were little changed as investors weighed a private report showing companies added fewer jobs than forecast last month.

Global markets:

Nikkei 14,897.63 +176.15 +1.20 %

Hang Seng 22,579.78 -77.85 -0.34 %

Shanghai Composite 2,053.08 -18.39 -0.89 %

FTSE 6,783.24 -40.53 -0.59 %

CAC 4,391.31 -4.59 -0.10 %

DAX 9,562.47 -26.68 -0.28 %

Crude oil $102.97 (-0.35%)

Gold $1337.60 (-0.02%).

European stocks declined moderately , after yesterday showed the greatest growth in the past eight months , which was associated with the release of the data set on business activity in the services sector. The dynamics also affect expectations publication of the American employment report . U.S. index futures are little changed , while Asian shares rose.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell less than 0.1 percent. Yesterday , it rose by 2.1 percent , as investors realized that the military confrontation in Ukraine will not lead to war.

One report showed that the private sector of the eurozone economy expanded in February , registering with the highest growth in the past two and a half years in February. Last growth was also higher than previously assumed, and the current sequence of growth increased to eight consecutive months. According to the report , the composite activity index from Markit, which evaluates the effectiveness of the manufacturing sector and the service sector , rose to 53.3 in February from 52.9 in January , marking the most significant improvement in business activity in June 2011 . The revised estimate was higher than previously thought - at the level of 52.7 . The index currently remains above the neutral mark of 50 for the eighth month in a row. The rise in the total private sector activity was associated with an increase in the manufacturing sector . Meanwhile, it was reported that the seasonally adjusted purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the services sector rose to 52.6 in February from 51.6 in the year. Originally reported value of this index at 51.7 . Economists were expecting the index to be 51.7 points .

With regard to the U.S. data , which will be presented later , many analysts believe that they will point to the continuing rise of the U.S. economy. According to the median forecast, the number of employees , estimated ADP Research Institute in February , will rise to 159 thousand Recall , March 7 will be released official data from the Ministry of Labour . It is expected that the unemployment rate will be 6.6 %, which is the lowest level since October 2008 . Also today, will be submitted to the index of business activity in the U.S. service . It is expected that in January drop to 53.8 , compared with 54 in the previous month .

Subsea 7 SA shares fell 6.4 percent after the company reported fourth-quarter net income was $ 72 million, compared with the average forecast of experts at $ 105 million

Cost of Standard Chartered Plc rose 1.9 percent . British bank said that in 2013 revenues were higher than forecast . It was also noted that the dividends will be at the rate of 57.2 cents per share, compared with estimates at 56.2 cents per share.

At the current moment

FTSE 100 6,788.05 -35.72 -0.52 %

CAC 40 4,381.41 -14.49 -0.33 %

DAX 9,558.86 -30.29 -0.32%

Asian stocks rose a second day after comments from Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled the Ukraine crisis won’t immediately escalate. China shares slid amid concern the country faces its first onshore corporate bond default this week.

Nikkei 225 14,897.63 +176.15 +1.20%

S&P/ASX 200 5,446.23 +46.00 +0.85%

Shanghai Composite 2,053.08 -18.39 -0.89%

Honda Motor Co., a carmaker that gets more than 80 percent of sales overseas, increased 1.3 percent.

Fujitsu Ltd. added 3.6 percent, the most in a month, after UBS AG raised its rating on the computer maker’s shares.

A Topix gauge tracking real-estate shares led gains among the measure’s subsectors for a second day.

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., which makes Subaru cars, slumped 1.8 percent after cutting its profit forecast.