Global stock markets were under pressure yesterday, with investors looking for safety after another set of weak US data offset record German second quarter growth figures, dealers said.
The best German performance since reunification in 1990, driving the wider European economy at the same time, got Europe off to a good start, supported by an Asian rebound as investors picked up bargains following recent heavy losses.
However, those gains quickly ran into the sands on fears such strong second quarter German growth – 2.2 per cent – cannot be sustained in the face of slowing US and Chinese economies and problems in weaker eurozone states.
News that US retail sales and inflation were higher, but not as high as expected, added to the negative tone, leaving the markets to slip back steadily.
“US equity markets are under some pressure... as traders digest another subdued reading on inflation, while sentiment toward the retail sector is being somewhat soured by a smaller-than-expected increase in July retail sales,” analysts at Charles Schwab & Co said in a report.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed at around 16.30 GMT while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite was down 0.36 percent.
US July retail sales rose 0.4 per cent, with consumer inflation up 0.3 per cent, short of forecasts for 0.5 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively.
The figures topped a bad week for the markets and the US economy, with disappointing data forcing the US Federal Reserve to concede Tuesday that the recovery would not be as strong as it had expected.
That acknowledgement sparked heavy losses for stocks which had risen sharply in recent weeks after a series of stellar company second quarter results but the focus has switched completely to what is expected to be a weaker third quarter.
“For now, at least, it looks like we’re in for a bit of late summer malaise until some catalyst appears on the horizon,” said John Stoltzfus of Ticonderoga Securities.
In Europe, London’s FTSE 100 index of leading shares edged up 0.18 per cent to 5,275.44 points but other markets were mostly lower, with the Paris CAC 40 down 0.28 per cent to 3,610.91 points and the Frankfurt DAX off 0.40 per cent to 6,110.41 points.
While the strong German and European growth figures were welcomed, analysts cautioned that the outlook was less certain, especially with the weaker eurozone countries still struggling to get back on track.
Chris Williamson of London-based Markit economists noted that German exports were doing well because concerns about weaker Mediterranean partners were helping to keep the euro down.
“It remains to be seen if the buoyancy of the eurozone’s core spills over to the periphery, or whether the periphery drags the core down,” Williamson said.
CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson also warned of a “two-tier” eurozone in which nations like Greece were still struggling.