ADR REPORT: Shares Mostly Higher; Solar, Tech Lead Gainers

21st Dec 2009 22:47

By Aja Carmichael and David Benoit Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--International companies trading in New York closed generally higher Monday as solar and technology stocks led the market. The Bank of New York index rose 0.6% to 133.89. Thomson (TMS) shares rose 21% to $1.46 after the company said its restructuring plan was approved by the suppliers' committee and the lenders' committee. The company also said the noteholders will vote December 22. Acorn International Inc. (ATV) gained 12% to $5.61 after the company declared a special divdend of 33 cents a share to shareholders. Solar stocks had a strong run. JA Solar Holdings Co. (JASO) gained 8.7% to $6.23. ReneSola Ltd. (SOL, SOLA.LN) advanced 4.1% to $5.02, Solarfun Power Holdings Co. (SOLF) increased 8.4% to $7.66 and China Sunergy Co. (CSUN) rose 8% to $4.95. Technology stocks also finished positive. Technology Corp. (SIMO) added 5.4% to $3.32 and Himax Technologies Inc. (HIMX) rose 4% to $3.15 The European index added rose 1.1% to 125.61. U.K. insurance company Prudential PLC (PUK, PRU.LN) rose 3.5% to $19.98, finishing as the largest gainer inthe region. BT Group PLC (BT) is accelerating the roll-out of its super-fast broadband network to ensure the infrastructure is completed in time for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the Financial Times reported Monday. Shares of the company rose 2.2% to $22.57. Goodbody Stockbrokers said Allied Irish Banks PLC (AIB) will require EUR4.1B ($5.87 billion) of equity and Bank of Ireland (IRE) EUR3.3B to cover losses after transferring loans to the National Asset Management Agency. The firm said Irish Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan believes the state could end up with a 50% or majority stake in the banks. Allied Irish climbed 20% to $3.79 while Bank of Ireland leapt 12% to $8.05. Vodafone Group PLC (VOD, VOD.LN) rose 2.1% to $22.85 after the U.K.-based mobile telecommunications provider said it was bringing Apple Inc.'s (APPL) iPhone 3G to the U.K. starting January 14. The Latin-American index fell 0.3% to 378.99. Mexico's telecommunications industry was on the rise, with Maxcom Telecomunicaciones SAB de CV (MXT, MAXCOM.MX) gaining 7% to $6.10, while Telefonos de Mexico SAB de CV (TMX, TFONY) rose 0.8% to $17.06. Fitch Ratings Service said Brazil's Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID, CSNA3.BR) Friday offer to buy Portugese cement company Cimentos de Portugal SGPS SA would further diversify CSN's footprint in South America, but as cement is a new business could divert management's attention from its profitable steel and iron ore operations. CSN shares slipped 2% to $31.14. The Asian index fell 0.4% to 125.07. Stocks in China closed mixed. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMI, 0981.HK) fell 5.9% to $2.92 and China-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Group (SCR) decline 5.5% to $9.50. Beijing's ATA Inc. (ATAI) also declined 8% to $4.43. Meanwhile, VanceInfo Technologies Inc. (VIT) rose 4% to $18.41. Stocks trading in Japan closed mostly negative. Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJI, 3774.TO) fell 2.8% to $5.10 and Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (MFG, 8411.TO) slipped 1.5% to $3.83. Among the gainers, Advantest Corp. (ATE, 6857.TO) rose 2.8% to 24.68 and TDK Corp. (TTDKY, 6762.TO) rose 2.6% to $61.69. The emerging-markets index fell 0.4% to $305.16. Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA, TEVA.TV) announced a partnership on a cancer treatment with OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OGXI). Under the deal, Teva will make an initial $60 million payment, which includes buying $10 million of OncoGenex stock for $37.38 each, a 26% premium to Friday's closing price. Teva shares rose 3.1% to $54.56. A sharp drop in gold futures sent South Africa's gold miners into the red, with Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI, GFI.JO), AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. (AU, ANG.JO) and Harmony Gold Mining Co. Ltd. (HMY, HAR.JO) all weak. Gold Fields lost 2.9% to $13.31, while AngloGold Ashanti fell 1.2% to $40.45 and Harmony lost 1.1% to $9.81. -By Aja Carmichael, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2187; [email protected] (END) Dow Jones Newswires December 21, 2009 17:47 ET (22:47 GMT)