A roundup of trading on major world markets:
NEW YORK – Wall Street stocks have finished lower following a mixed batch of earnings from retailers, including Wal-Mart Stores, which tumbled 3.4 per cent after slashing its profit forecast.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Tuesday lost 33.84 points (0.19 per cent) at 17,511.34.
The broad-based S&P 500 shed 5.52 (0.26 per cent) at 2,096.92, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 32.35 (0.64 per cent) to 5,059.35.
Dow member Walmart led the blue-chip index downward after higher operating costs and the strong dollar dented second-quarter earnings and prompted it to trim its full-year forecast.
LONDON – European stock markets closed lower after another plunge on China’s main index, and on the eve of a German parliament vote on Greece’s new bailout.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index ended down 0.37 per cent at 6,526.29 points.
Frankfurt’s DAX 30 finished 0.22 per cent lower at 10,915.92 points, while the CAC 40 in Paris shed 0.27 per cent to 4,9971.25.
In Europe, official data showed that Britain’s annual inflation rate rose to 0.1 per cent in July.
In reaction, the British pound jumped to $US1.5658 from $US1.5586 on Monday.
The euro fell to $US1.1025 from $US1.1078 late in New York on Monday.
HONG KONG – Asian shares fell, with Shanghai leading the falls as investors doubted Beijing’s commitment to prop up shares while Bangkok slumped after a bomb attack in the Thai capital.
Shanghai closed down 6.15 per cent, or 245.51 points, at 3,748.16 – its biggest daily fall in three weeks – while Hong Kong lost 1.43 per cent, or 339.68 points, to 23,474.97.
Tokyo closed down 0.32 per cent, or 65.79 points, at 20,554.47. Sydney fell 1.20 per cent, or 64.55 points, to 5,303.10 and Seoul dipped 0.62 per cent, or 12.26 points, to close at 1,956.26.
Asian shares gave up early gains driven by a higher close on Wall Street as jitters about the health of China’s economy, the world’s second largest, spread across the region.
Traders in China said they doubt Shanghai will be able to break above the key 4,000 point level soon without evidence Beijing will unleash fresh stimulus.
WELLINGTON – The S&P/NZX 50 Index slipped 16.66 points, or 0.3 per cent, to 5710.76.
