Asian markets dropped following Thursday’s steep slide in the West. Korea’s Kospi was the worst performer, tumbling 5.7%, while the ASX 200 slid 1.6%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slid 1.4%, and the Shanghai Composite eased just .4%. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday. Materials stocks were the worst hit, as fears of a global recession hurt the sector.
European markets managed to bounce modestly after Thursday’s rout. The CAC40 rose 1%, the FTSE gained .5%, and the DAX advanced .6%. French banks were boosted on rumors of government assistance. BNP Paribas rallied nearly 10%, and Societe Generale surged 8.8%. Moody’s downgraded 8 Greek banks by two notches.
Currencies
The Dollar closed mostly lower after Thursday’s strong advance. The Pound led the pack, rising .7% to 1.5456, while the Euro ticked up .3% to 1.3491. The Yen initially rallied to 76.17 against the dollar, before reversing to end down .5% at 76.69. The Swiss Franc rose .3% to .9056, and the Canadian Dollar inched up .2% to 1.0280.
Economic Outlook
Monday’s reports will include new home sales, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index, and the Dallas Fed Manufacturing Survey. Earnings are due from Cal Maine Foods.