By Ian Thomson Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK -(Dow Jones)- International companies trading in New York closed slightly lower Thursday, trailing the broader markets, as investors took stock of a Greek austerity deal. The Bank of New York Index of ADRs dropped fractionally, to 132.28, dragged down by weak fourth-quarter results from some of Europe's largest lenders. ING Groep NV (ING, INGA.AE) said it foresees a weak economic recovery in 2012 after reporting a lower than expected rise in fourth quarter net profit. The Dutch financial services company's shares slid 5.7%, to $9.18. Credit Suisse Group AG (CS, CSGN.VX) reported an unexpected loss for the fourth quarter, slashed dividend and bonuses and took a big charge for winding down risky assets and exiting certain investment bank businesses. The Swiss bank's shares fell 3%, to $26.81. The European index slipped marginally, to 120.95. French software company Dassault Systemes SA's (DASTY, DSY.FR) shares dropped 2.4%, to $83.70, as it announced the purchase of Netvibes, the award-winning brand in dashboard intelligence technologies, to enrich its 3D Experience platform, for an undisclosed amount. Rio Tinto PLC (RIO, RIO.LN) said its chief executive and chief finance officer will forego their annual bonuses after the company's 2011 profit dropped 59%, dragged down by a $9.29 billion impairment charge mainly against the value of its struggling aluminum business that more than offset the benefit of stronger commodity prices. Shares lost 1.3% to close at $60.75. The Latin American index closed the day exactly where it started, at 384.88. Brazilian state-run energy giant Petroleo Brasileiro (PBR, PETR4.BR), or Petrobras, said late Wednesday that it would sell a 40% stake in Sao Paulo state natural gas distributor Gas Brasiliano to Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CIG, CIGC, CMIG4.BR), or Cemig. Shares of Cemig gained 2.7%, to $21.61. Governors from Argentina's top 10 oil-producing provinces said they will demand that oil and gas companies boost output across the country. Argentina's constitution grants the governors control over oil and gas concessions in their individual provinces, and the demand comes amid an intense escalation of government pressure on the energy industry. Shares of YPF SA (YPF, YPFD.BA), the country's biggest oil and gas company, slumped 2.9%, to $34.86. The Asian index edged fractionally lower, to 129.57, but the emerging markets index bucked the negative trend by posting a 0.2% rise, to 316.63. Several of BHP Billiton Ltd.'s (BHP, BHP.AU) Australian coking coal mines will be hit by a seven-day strike from next Wednesday as a dispute over a new workplace agreement drags on, a labor union said. That caused the Anglo-Australian miner's shares to fall 1.4% to $79.62. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd.'s (MPEL, 6883.HK) net revenue soared 30% in the fourth-quarter, but shares slipped 0.8%, to $11.82, as the Hong Kong-based casino resort operator's earnings fell short of analysts' expectations. Chinese solar companies enjoyed a day of sharp gains after Norwegian solar power company Renewable Energy Corp. predicted that China's solar-power demand will grow. Shining brightest was Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. (YGE), whose shares jumped 20%, to $5.90. Peer Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL, K3KD.SG) soared 19%, to $10.95, and LDK Solar Co. (LDK) leapt 13%, to $6.70. -By Ian Thomson, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2314; ian.thomson@dowjones.com
