Banco Santander falls 1.3 percent in Spain

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On a day when London equities markets were closed for a bank holiday, most European markets saw gains Monday as separate reports showed that factory output gained in both the US and in the Eurozone in April, while personal spending in the United States was up in March, while agreement was reached Sunday on a €110 billion bailout for Greece, although some worry that it will not be enough to rescue the nation from its debt crisis.

The Eurofirst 300 was up 0.21 percent to 1,065.51 while the CAC-40 was 0.3 percent higher to 3,828.46 and the Dax added 0.51 percent to 6,166.92, but the IBEX dropped 0.66 percent to 10,422.8.

Banks were down in Spain and Portugal, both of which have debt problems of their own.

In Spain, Banco Santander (BMAD: SAN) and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA (BMAD: BBVA) each dropped 1.3 percent on the session, while in Portugal Banco Espirito Santo SA (Euronext: BES) was down 2.4 percent.

On the CAC-40, insurer Axa (Euronext: CS) was up 2.41 percent for the best performance on the Paris index, while aerospace and defense contractor EADS (Euronext: EAD) dropped 1.28 percent to lead decliners.

In Frankfurt, Germany’s largest retailer, Metro (FWB: MEO) was 3.54 percent higher to lead gainers on the Dax, while stock exchange operator Deutsche Boerse (FWB: DB1) fell 2.02 percent for the worst performance on the index.

Markets in the Asia-Pacific region were lower after Australia said it will impose a 40 percent tax on resources profits beginning in 2012 in order to pay for hospitals, retirement benefits and tax reductions for companies, and after China’s central bank said it will raise reserve ratios for lenders for the third time this year.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX200 was 0.46 percent lower to 4,785.5 while the Sydney Ordinaries dropped 0.55 percent to 4,807.1.

BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP), with 51 percent of its assets in Australia, was down 3 percent while Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) fell 4.3 percent and Macarthur Coal Ltd. (ASX: MCC) dropped 9.5 percent.

Yanzhou Coal Mining Co (SEHK: 1171), which has ownership in Australia’s Felix Resources Ltd., was down 6.3 percent in Hong Kong.

Taiwan’s Taiex was 0.65 percent lower to 7,952.17 while the Sensex fell 0.98 percent to 17,386.08 in India, Singapore’s Straits Times Index was down 1.02 percent to 2,944.22 and the Kospi dropped 1.17 percent to 1,721.21 in South Korea.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng fell 1.41 percent to 20,811.36 on declines by Chinese banks, which will have their reserve ratios raised by 50 basis points from 10 May.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (SEHK: 1398) and China Construction Bank Corp (SEHK: 0939) each fell 1.6 percent while Bank of China Ltd. (SEHK: 3988) was 1.7 percent lower on the session.

Tokyo’s markets were closed in observance of Constitution Memorial Day, the day the nation’s post-World War II constitution took effect and part of its Golden Week holidays, while China’s markets were closed to observe Labour Day.

Equities markets in New York were up on a raft of good news and on the agreement on a bailout package for Greece.

The US Commerce Department reported that personal spending was up in March, rising 0.6 percent as personal income added 0.3 percent in the same month, news which sent shares of retailers higher.ple

In a separate report, the Commerce Department also reported that US construction activity was up 0.2 percent in March, against an expected decline, in its first gain since October.

In mergers and acquisitions news, United Airlines (NAS: UAUA) said it will acquire Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) in an all-stock deal worth around $3 billion.

Meanwhile, shares in Apple Inc (NAS: AAPL) were higher after it said that in the first 28 days that its new iPad was on the market, it sold 1 million units.

In midday trade in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.08 percent to 11,127.04 while at the same time the S&P 500 had added 1 percent to 1,198.59 and the Nasdaq Composite was 1.33 percent higher to 2,493.81.

Crude oil prices were up at midday in New York, with Brent crude above $89 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude closing in on $87 per barrel.

Copper prices were lower in New York at shortly past noon local time, but precious metals prices were up.