ADRs End Mixed; Royal Dutch Shell, Total Rise

International stocks trading in New York were mixed on Thursday.

The BNY Mellon index of American depositary receipts edged up 0.05% to 117.31. The European index rose 0.05% to 118.03, the Asian index eased 0.12% to 124.79, the Latin American index rose 0.9% to 132.65 and the emerging markets index increased 0.08% to 195.94.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC's (RDSA, RDSA.LN) and Total SA (TOT, FP.FR) were among the companies with ADRs that traded actively.

BG Group PLC's shareholders signed off on Shell's roughly $50 billion takeover bid for the company, clearing the final hurdle to a deal that will create one of the world's largest liquefied natural gas producers while also bolstering Shell's deep water oil projects. Shell's ADRs rose 3.7% to $43.33.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said his country will sign an agreement with Total allowing the French oil major to buy hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian crude oil a day, ramping up the country's efforts to attract investment in its oil industry following the lifting of international sanctions. ADRs rose 1.8% to $44.05.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) posted stronger-than-expected earnings in its latest quarter despite a slowdown in China's economy, highlighting the resilience of China's consumers. Still, ADRs of the Chinese e-commerce giant fell 3.8% to $66.92.

Banco Bradesco SA (BBDO, BBD, BBDC4.BR) warned on of little or no increase in business demand for credit this year as Brazil remains mired in recession. While Brazil's fourth-largest bank in terms of assets reported a rise in fourth-quarter net profit, its also recorded an increase in bad debts. ADRs fell three cents to $4.74.

Diageo PLC (DEO, DGE.LN) reported that its half-year operating profit tumbled on lower sales in the U.S., adding to pressure on Chief Executive Ivan Menezes to turn around the company's most important market. ADRs of the maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka fell 13 cents to $106.29.

The U.K. government said it has postponed a planned sale of shares in the partially state-owned lender Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG, LLOY.LN), citing continuing turmoil in financial markets. The British government began selling its stake in the lender last year and currently owns less than 10% of the bank, which was bailed out by taxpayers in 2008. ADRs rose 1.1% to $3.75.

Brazilian oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR, PETR3.BR, PETR4.BR) unveiled changes to its management structure intended to save 1.8 billion reais ($441.5 million) per year. The changes are necessary for the state-controlled company, known as Petrobras, to adapt to "the new reality of the oil and gas sector" and to give a greater priority to profit and financial discipline, the company said in a note to Brazil's market regulator. ADRs rose 2.2% to $3.20.

Posco (PKX, 005490.SE), the world's fifth-largest steelmaker by output, reported its first ever annual loss, hit by China's slowdown, investment write-downs and a weaker local currency that inflated its overseas debt. South Korean steelmaker's ADRs rose five cents to $35.72.

Write to Tess Stynes at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 28, 2016 18:09 ET (23:09 GMT)

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