ADR Shares End Mixed; ABB, Shire Shares Active

International stocks trading in New York closed mixed Thursday, with the Bank of New York index of American depositary receipts adding 0.4% to 148.31. The European index rose 0.6% to 148.67, the Asian index slipped 0.4% to 142.08, the Latin American index climbed 0.7% to 259.61, and the emerging markets index rose 0.5% to 260.48. Among the companies with shares that actively traded were ABB Ltd. (ABB, ABBN.VX) and Shire PLC (SHPG, SHP.LN).

Swiss engineering company ABB on Thursday reported a 13% drop in fourth-quarter earnings and cautioned revenue growth in 2014 likely would miss previous targets. Shares fell 2% to $25.15.

Dublin-based pharmaceutical company Shire said Thursday its chief financial officer will step down next month and reported higher fourth-quarter profits along with a positive 2014 outlook. Shares rose 1.1% to $157.73.

The Indian units of Vodafone Group PLC (VOD, VOD.LN) and Telenor ASA (TELNY, TEL.OS) were among eight companies that agreed to pay a total of about 611.61 billion rupees (about $9.79 billion) for airwaves in government auctions that ended Thursday. Separately, India's $2 billion tax fight with Vodafone could be headed for a bruising new round. On Thursday, Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the government wants to terminate negotiations that began last year over the amount it says is owed, saying the U.K.-based company is being inflexible. Vodafone shares edged up 0.5% to $36.81.

Eni SpA (E, ENI.MI) said Thursday said it plans to increase its 2015 dividend, aiming to offer a progressive payout to shareholders under investor-friendly measures that include a share-buyback program, as it cuts spending over the next four years amid a production slowdown due to output disruptions in key African countries. Separately, the company announced a vast oil discovery in the Republic of Congo as the Italian energy company seeks new fields in Africa aimed at offsetting lower production in its key operational countries of Libya and Nigeria. Shares rose 2.1% to $46.81.

Lloyds Banking Group PLC (LYG, LLOY.LN) announced a narrower net loss for the year, but provisions for the wrongful sale of insurance products continued to weigh on the bank's bottom line. Shares slipped 1.8% to $5.50.

Write to Anna Prior at [e-mail]

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