Another heavy news day and another blizzard to come. Markets are still down despite very encouraging news in January when 467,00 new hires got jobs. The FTSE fell and dragged down Nasdaq by 3.7%; the S&P 500 by 2.44%; and the Dow Jones Industrials by 1.45%. 

Banks and Finance

*Our main financial reporting company, Banco Santander, fell 2.5%. It did well in the English-speaking countries like the USA and Britain but, alas, not in Europe and Mexico. Its British gains in euros were up .85% while those in this country rose 230%, to euros 1.4 bn and euros 2.3 bn. Another hot new market is Latin American leader Brazil, where SAN has no language edge. Thanks to the Portuguese speakers, SAN products hit euros 3.3 bn, up 24%. 

*Brookfield Renewable BEP besides the Urbangrid buy reported earlier this week, also bought 13 gigawatts of solar energy producers and its US holdings were tripled. 

*Swedish Investor A/B gained 1.84% today. IVSBF.

*However Lazard disappointed with its eps up 49 cents to $1.92 because its revenues did not rise. LAZ fell 3.41%. Its leading fund, LGI, reports next Tues. 

*Target price for Cabot CBT was raised to $75 from 70 by Jefferies.

*Monday we will hear from Phil Goldstein about his Cuba fund.

Image Source: Pixabay

Pharma

*Eli Lilly was rated overweight by Morgan Stanley. LLY rose.

*Israeli Compugen CGEN gained 3.89% here on a day when Tel Avis is closed.

*Swiss Roche RHHBY reported sales up 8% is Swiss Francs and up 9% in constant currencies at CHF 62.8 bn. Its pharma is doing well with eps up 6% at SWF 19.81 per share and operating profit up 4% to SWF 21.9bn. The bad news is that diagnostics, which were a heavy earner in 2020 fell last year.

*Novartis NVS did less well. Its Q4 missed the estimate of $13.28 by 1.8% and its profits came in at $1.4 per share vs a forecast of 1.41.

*Japan's Takeda did better with a 1.42% eps rise and its stock gained 0.55%. TAK.

*Bioline RX BLRX gained. So did Biogen IDEC on a new drug deal since its old one apparently doesn't work. It partners with Takeda. 

*Glaxo Smith Kline will report next Weds on its 2021 and Q4 at 9 am. GSK.

Energy 

*Cameco CCJ of Canada is up 2.9% on expectations that it will resume production of uranium at its McArthur River mine if uranium prices continue rising.

*CTRA which was listed last month today rose 5%. 

*NIO rose 2.54% on oil price jumps.