SLOVENIA

Pharma group Krka ups net profit 39% last year to EUR 242m

The group around the Novo Mesto-based drug maker Krka generated EUR 1.49 billion in sales revenue in 2019, or 12% more than in the year before, while net profit was up 39% to EUR 242 million, according to an estimate released by the management board on Thursday. (STA)

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS

Stocks close little changed after Fed decision, Apple jumps to record; European stocks close higher, brushing off coronavirus concerns

Stocks closed little changed on Wednesday even after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady and maintained a positive view on the U.S. economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day 13 points, or less than 0.1%. The 30-stock average rose as much as 221 points. The S&P 500 was down 0.1% while the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.1%.
Apple gained 2.1% and hit a record after its quarterly results easily beat analyst expectations. The company’s results were driven in part because of an 8% uptick in iPhone sales, which totaled $55.96 billion.
McDonald’s, another Dow component, posted better-than-expected quarterly results, sending the stock up 1.9%. Dow Inc and ADP reported profits that beat analyst estimates as well along with General Electric, which surged 10.3%.
AMD shares, however, dropped 6% after the semiconductor company issued weaker-than-forecast revenue guidance for the first quarter. Xilinx also gave a disappointing sales forecast, which sent its stock down more than 10%.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 had climbed 0.5% by the closing bell, with industrials adding 1% to lead gains as most sectors and major bourses entered positive territory.
Temenos shares gained 5.2% after the Swiss software provider announced a global strategic partnership with Google Cloud. Santander shares ended the session 4.4% higher after the Spanish bank beat fourth-quarter profit expectations. (CNBC)

SERBIA

Serbia sells euro-denominated 20-year bond with 3 pct yield rate

The Republic of Serbia on Wednesday sold a euro-denominated 20-year government bond with a 3 pct yield rate and successfully completed a 150 mln euro bond issuance, Finance Minister Sinisa Mali said. This best reaffirms that the financial system is secure, stable and strong and that it is finally on healthy foundations, he said. "We had an excellent response from investors, which, for us, is a sign of confidence in Serbia's financial system. There is trust in the national monetary and economic policy. This is an announcement of an exciting year when it comes to development of the domestic capital market, which is waking from decades of slumber," a statement from the Finance Ministry quoted Mali as saying. (Tanjug)

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