ADR Shares End Mixed Amid China Data

   By Anna Prior 
 

International companies trading in New York closed mixed Thursday as downbeat data from China offset a better-than-expected report on the U.S. jobs market.

The Bank of New York index of American depositary receipts rose 0.4% to 148.61.

HSBC's preliminary purchasing managers index for China slipped to 50.4 in November from 50.9 in October, suggesting growth momentum was softening.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., Janet Yellen moved a step closer to becoming the next Federal Reserve leader and a better-than-expected report on the jobs market boosted sentiment.

The European index added 0.7% to 144.24.

Shares of banks were broadly higher after Goldman Sachs upgraded the European banking sector or overweight from neutral. Deutsche Bank AG (DB, DBK.XE) shares rose 0.7% to $45.50, while Credit Suisse Group AG (CS, CSGN.VX) edged up 0.6% to $28.56 and Barclays PLC (BCS, BARC.LN) rose 3% to $16.77.

Resource companies, however, fell after a weaker-than-expected reading on China's PMI. Shares of BHP Billiton PLC (BBL, BLT.LN) dropped 0.6% to $61.52 while Rio Tinto PLC (RIO, RIO.LN) fell 1% to $52.21.

The Asian index edged down 0.1% to 149.53.

Chinese airlines bucked the trend and posted sharp gains, with China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH, K3TD.SG, 600029.SH, 1055.HK) rising 10% to $21.31 and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA, 0670.HK, 600115.SH, K3CD.SG) up 9.7% to $20.74.

The Latin American index fell 0.3% to 292.47 and the emerging-markets index dropped 0.5% to 278.45.

South African gold mining company shares posted another round of losses as gold futures extended their declines, including Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI, GFI.JO), which fell 5.7% to $4.13 and Drdgold Ltd. (DRD, DRD.JO), which fell 2.9% to $4.42.

Brazilian government-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR, PETR3.BR, PETR4.BR) has pushed back by a week a decision on a change to its controversial fuel-pricing policy that could provide the firm with more money to meet its hefty investment program. Still, shares rose 2.1% to $17.24.

Write to Anna Prior at [e-mail]