European shares fell on Monday from recent six-week highs as a global equity rally stalled after data confirmed a slowdown in China’s economy and investors awaited for Britain’s next steps to break the deadlock over Brexit. British Prime Minister Theresa May is set to present her ‘Plan B’ for Brexit to parliament later in the day. Trade in general was subdued with U.S. markets closed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Data showed the Chinese economy, the world’s second biggest, grew 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter from a ...

Global stocks started the week under pressure after data showed that China’s economy grew at its slowest pace in nearly three decades last year, the latest sign that the world economy is decelerating. The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 0.4% in early morning trade, dragged down by banks and utility companies. Asian markets finished mostly higher, though they trimmed gains after the Chinese data release. U.S. markets are closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Futures for the S&P 500 were down 0.4%. The world’s second-largest economy grew 6.6% in ...

They may not be happy about it, but the masters of the universe proved accurate in predicting the stock market selloff of 2018. Long ridiculed as a reverse indicator, especially for failing to predict the financial crisis, the consensus of delegates at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting last January looks pretty smart one year on. Investors were too complacent and stocks, bonds and Bitcoin were set to fall as the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates, according to the narrative in the Swiss town of Davos. “There is a numbness ...

If you were surprised by this month’s bounce in global stock markets, next week may tell you if you should join in or stay out. Chinese output data on Monday will set the tone for a week that also sees the first policy updates of the year by the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan against the backdrop of a continued global economic slowdown. In the United States, results from blue-chip companies including IBM will give Wall Street traders something to chew on while officials in Washington are ...

U.S. fund investors charged into high-yield “junk” bonds during the latest week, pouring in $3.3 billion, the most cash flowing into that market since late 2016, Lipper said on Thursday, boosted by soothing words by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Underscoring investors’ appetite for some risk-taking, investors pulled $15 billion net cash from U.S.-based money market funds, according to the Refinitiv research service. For their part, U.S.-based equity mutual funds – which exclude exchange-traded funds – posted inflows of $4.8 billion, Lipper data showed. “From this week’s results, it appears ...

Expectations for easing trade tensions between the U.S. and China continued to buoy stock markets on Friday, putting most major indexes on track to end the week higher. The Stoxx Europe 600 rose 0.9% to around a six-week high shortly after European markets opened. Stock markets in Japan, Shanghai and Hong Kong added over 1%, while futures suggested the S&P 500 would inch higher at the open. The moves came after U.S. stocks rose for a third straight session Thursday thanks to optimism the U.S. would ratchet back tariffs on ...

Global stocks showed signs of cooling Thursday after markets in the U.S., China and Europe advanced for two consecutive sessions. The Stoxx Europe 600 was down 0.5% in early trading led by declines in banks and auto companies, following modest losses across Asian markets. Futures pointed to a 0.6% opening loss for the S&P 500 after the index closed at its highest level in a month. Lingering concerns about global trade, economic growth and a handful of disappointing corporate results contributed to Thursday’s downbeat trading, analysts said. Among decliners in ...

Pan-European stock market operator Euronext (ENX.PA) launched its $729 million cash bid for Oslo Bors OSLO.NFF on Monday, just hours after the Norwegian stock market operator said it had found potential alternative bidders. Euronext, which already runs exchanges in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Dublin, is offering 145 Norwegian crowns per share, valuing Oslo Bors at 6.24 billion crowns ($729 million). The offer is set to expire on Feb. 11. Euronext said last month shareholders representing a little more than 50 percent of Oslo Bors’ shares had committed to sell ...

World equity markets on Wednesday held their nerve after the heavy parliamentary defeat of British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal as investors saw potential for legislative deadlock forcing London to delay its departure from the EU. May’s government faces a no confidence vote at 1900 GMT after the shattering rejection of her Brexit blueprint on Tuesday evening left Britain’s exit from the European Union in disarray. May is expected to survive the vote, sponsored by the main opposition Labour Party, but investors could see scant sign of a breakthrough ...

A day after Asian markets fell, investors found a reason to buy shares: China’s promised more measures to help support its slowing economy. That sent markets across the region higher, led by Hong Kong and Shenzhen bouncing back to recover from Monday’s losses. South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and India also posted solid gains, and Japan reopened in positive territory after a holiday. The benchmark MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced as much as 1.1 percent to hit an almost six-week high, while S&P 500 Index futures climbed as much as 0.8 ...

Global stocks wavered Wednesday as investors absorbed a fresh dose of uncertainty over the U.K.’s attempts to leave the European Union. The Stoxx Europe 600 was up 0.3% with mild, broad-based gains in opening trading. The index’s banking sector climbed 0.9% after its Italian constituents came under pressure Tuesday, following reports that the European Central Bank wants them to clean up their bad loans more effectively. British assets gave a tepid reaction to the U.K. parliament’s overwhelming rejection of Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal late Tuesday. The defeat ...

Equities and bonds will head in different directions this year, offering insurance to stock investors, according to BlackRock Inc. Correlation between the two asset classes dived into negative territory in late 2018 as Treasuries climbed while U.S. stocks tumbled. That reversed a pattern seen earlier in the year when both bonds and shares retreated, a phenomenon Goldman Sachs Group Inc. dubbed a “balanced bear” and one that had upended the traditional strategy of using bonds to hedge stocks. “We see the correlation between equity and bond returns remaining significantly negative ...

Global stocks rallied Tuesday after Chinese officials signaled their willingness to help shore up the nation’s flagging economy. The Stoxx Europe 600 climbed 0.6% in the opening minutes of trading, with its autos and technology sectors leading the way, rising 1.8% and 1.3%. Both baskets are particularly exposed to Chinese growth. Autos have risen 8% in 2019, outperforming all other sectors in Europe and eroding its 12-month losses to 27%. Gains in Europe followed a resurgence in Asia, where most major indexes increased 1% or more. China’s Shanghai Composite Index ...

Global stocks kicked off the week under pressure after worse-than-expected Chinese economic data added to mounting signs of slowing economic growth around the world. The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 0.6% in early morning trade, following a downbeat session across Asian markets. On Wall Street, futures pointed to opening losses of around 0.7% for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Data early on Monday showed that China’s exports and imports both fell in December from a year ago as the impact of U.S. tariffs started to kick in ...

The inclusion of Chinese A-shares in global stock indexes could see foreign inflows into China’s stock market double in 2019, the Shanghai Securities News quoted a top Chinese securities regulator as saying on Saturday. “Last year, net foreign stock market inflows reached 300 billion yuan ($44.38 billion) and this year we estimate that inflows will increase further. We could expect 600 billion yuan,” Fang Xinghai, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), was quoted as saying at a market forum. It did not say where the forum was ...