After the euphoria of recent days, the time for consolidation. U.S. markets were closed Tuesday in the red, ending a series of six consecutive sessions of gains. The rise in consumer confidence, the highest since December 2007, the figures and stable real estate did not convince investors. Results: From Tokyo to Paris, via London and Frankfurt, all exchanges are this Wednesday, in the red.

Thus, as expected, Wall Street began the session on a tentative note, but still negative. The Dow Jones dropped to 0.35% open and yielded almost 34 points, to 10,511.56 points.Same trend towards the S & P 500 has lost 0.31% at 1122.68 points while the Nasdaq Composite has dropped from 0.23% at 2283.07 points.

Just after the opening, the Chicago PMI index for the month of December has given a reason for clues to recover and move toward equilibrium, or even find the green. Economic activity in the Chicago area accelerated against all odds: the index rose by 3.9 percentage points to 60 points all round. This figure is considered a leading indicator of manufacturing activity at the national level.

Airlines monitor

According to information from The Wall Street Journal, the American GMAC Financial Services (0.75%, to 18.85 dollars) could benefit from additional public help than 3.5 billion dollars from U.S. authorities .It would occur in addition to $ 2.5 billion collected in December 2008.

The way Johnson & Johnson (-0.15% to 64.84 dollars) is being monitored. The FDA, U.S. health officials rejected a license application filed by the pharmaceutical group on ceftobiprole, treatment of skin infections of the skin structure. The Swiss Basilea Pharmaceutica had granted an exclusive worldwide license to the ceftobiprole Cilag, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

Also in the same sector, Pfizer (-0.11% to 18.54 dollars) has announced its decision to terminate its phase 3 trials for the treatment of cancer, figitumumab.

A follow also the share prices of U.S. carriers Delta Air Lines (-0.79%, to 11.24 dollars) and American Airlines. Both eyeing the ailing Japanese company Japan Airlines (JAL).But rumors about a possible bankruptcy JAL has already had a falling action of the latter to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Wednesday.

Moreover, U.S. markets, airlines are also suffering: Index NYSE Arca Airline loose opening 1.06%, with 10 out of 13 companies listed in this index in the red.

Another repercussion of difficulties nippon, the dollar regained ground against the yen for the second consecutive session, reaching a recor of two months. Therefore, gold has dropped below the $ 1,100 an ounce. "Given the dollar's recovery, it is possible to see the yellow metal down to $ 1,050," analyzes James Moore of TheBullionDesk.com.