Global stock markets fell Monday after the release of lacklustre economic data from the U.S. and China.
KEEPING SCORE: Germany's DAX lost 0.7 per cent to 10,778.38 and Britain's FTSE 100 was 0.6 per cent lower at 6,324.82. The CAC 40 of France fell 0.7 per cent to 4,862.78. Wall Street looked set to start the week in the red. Dow futures were down 0.3 per cent and S&P 500 futures were 0.4 per cent lower.
ECONOMIC DATA: A monthly survey of factory managers in China showed conditions were still weak in October, though the outlook was the best in four months. The Caixin index rose to 48.3 from 47.2 in September. Figures under 50 reflect a contraction. But an interest rate cut announced last month by Beijing that was its sixth cut in the past year is expected to help mitigate economic weakness. In the U.S., consumer spending rose a feeble 0.1 per cent in September, according to data on Friday.
CHINA OUTLOOK: China's top economic official says Beijing expects annual growth of "at least 6.5 per cent" through 2020. The comments by Premier Li Keqiang at in speech in Seoul, South Korea are the first indication of a possible official growth target since the Communist Party leadership pledged last week to double the size of the economy from its 2010 level by 2020. This year's growth target was about 7 per cent.
ANALYST VIEWPOINT: "We are certainly seeing a pull back from the strong October equity rally, although a weak set of U.S. data this week could be taken as a positive if it definitively pushes back expectations for a Fed rate hike into 2016," Angus Nicholson of IG said in market commentary.
ASIA'S DAY: Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 2.1 per cent to 18,683.24 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropped 1.2 per cent to 22,370.04. The Shanghai Composite Index was 1.7 per cent lower at 3,325.08. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 slipped 1.4 per cent to 5,165.80. South Korea's Kospi edged 0.3 per cent higher to 2,035.24. Taiwan also was higher while markets in Southeast Asia were mixed.
ENERGY: U.S. crude oil was down 53 cents to $46.06 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It gained 53 cents on Friday to $46.59 a barrel. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, lost 40 cents to $49.16 a barrel. It gained 76 cents on Friday to $49.52 a barrel.
CURRENCIES: The dollar rose to 120.66 yen from 120.62 yen on Friday. The euro rose to $1.1025 from $1.1009.
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