FRANKFURT, Germany — European and Asian stocks fell Friday after economic reports suggested growth will weaken in the world’s major economies. Downbeat data on Germany, China and the US came on top of uncertainty over whether European leaders will make progress in tackling their debt crisis at key meetings.
Gold firmed in Europe on Friday, the day after posting its biggest one-day decline since February 29, as lower prices tempted some cautious buyers back to the market and as crude oil recovered from 18-month lows.
The European Union, struggling to hold together under financial and political pressures, may soon fracture a bit further over the issue of whether to tax financial transactions to make banks pay for their own bailouts.
Japanese game maker Nintendo Co. has upgraded its 3DS handheld to sport a screen nearly twice as big as the previous model amid hot competition against smartphones and tablets that are wooing people away from dedicated gaming machines.
Gold gave up early gains on Friday and was heading for its biggest weekly loss since December after growing fears of a global economic slowdown hit commodities, prompting investors to seek safety in the US dollar.
Asian markets slipped on Friday following big losses on Wall Street in the wake of weak manufacturing data from China and Europe and downgrades for 15 of the world’s biggest financial groups.
NEW YORK - Stocks on major markets fell and crude oil prices slumped $2 a barrel on Thursday after data showed Chinese, European and US manufacturing activity slowing further, just a day after the Federal Reserve extended its monetary stimulus program.
BRUSSELS - The fate of the European Union’s banks, struggling to ride out the debt crisis, will take centre stage on Friday when ministers turn to the question of forging a banking union, a crucial step to stand behind their troubled lenders and the euro.
LONDON — Global markets fell on Thursday after the Federal Reserve balked at providing major new stimulus to the US economy, while key surveys showed manufacturing activity continued to contract in both China and Europe, raising concern over the outlook for the world economy.
LONDON - Gold fell below $1,600 an ounce in Europe on Thursday after the Federal Reserve disappointed gold bulls by failing to announce more aggressive monetary stimulus, though positioning ahead of the event prevented a sharper fall.
iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
