ADR Shares End Lower; Petrobras Shares Active

International stocks trading in New York closed lower Monday, with the Bank of New York index of American depositary receipts falling 0.7% to 149.85. The European index dropped 0.5% to 150.90, the Asian index fell 1.1% to 143.25, the Latin American index shed 1.5% to 251.69 and the emerging markets index fell 1.3% to 22.40. Among the companies with shares that actively traded was Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR, PETR3.BR, PETR4.BR).

Petrobras raised $8.5 billion from the sale of overseas bonds on Monday as the oil company continues to borrow cash for its massive investment plan, though it is paying an increasingly onerous price, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the transaction. Shares of the Brazilian company fell 2% to $10.68.

Argentina's leading energy company, YPF SA (YPF, YPFD.BA), said Friday that its profit surged in the fourth-quarter while oil and gas production also rose from the previous years. Shares edged up 0.1% to $28.39.

Germany is a blueprint for the future of Vodafone Group PLC (VOD, VOD.LN) in other countries, Vodafone's Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said at the CeBit fair in Hannover on Monday. Shares dropped 4.5% to $38.14.

Unilever PLC (UL, ULVR.LN) bought a majority stake in Chinese water-purification company Qinyuan Group Co., marking its first acquisition in China in a decade and a strategic move into a market with high demand for clean water. The Anglo-Dutch consumer-goods giant known for household brands such as Dove soap and Lipton tea declined to disclose financial details of the deal, which was announced Sunday. Shares fell 1.8% to $40.15.

Write to Anna Prior at [e-mail]

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