Investing.com - European stocks closed lower Thursday, as bearish economic data from China and the euro zone added to concerns over a global economic slowdown combined with mixed U.S. data pushing shares lower.
At the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.57%, France’s CAC 40 slumped 0.62%, while Germany’s DAX 30 eased lower by 0.02%.
Helping support stocks, manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia-region improved more-than-expected in September, but remained in contraction territory for the fifth consecutive month, official data showed on Thursday.
In a report, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said that its manufacturing index improved by 5.2 points to minus 1.9 in September from August’s reading of minus 7.1.
Analysts had expected the index to improve by 3.1 points to a reading of minus 4.0 in September.
On the index, a reading above 0.0 indicates improving conditions, below indicates worsening conditions.
While mixed data from the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending September 15 fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, compared to expectations for a decrease of 10,000 to 375,000.
The previous week’s figure was revised up to 385,000 from a previously reported 382,000.
Sentiment remained under pressure after preliminary data showed that the euro zone’s manufacturing purchasing manufacturers' index rose more-than-expected in September, while service sector activity fell unexpectedly.
A separate report showed that manufacturing activity in Germany contracted at the slowest rate in six months in September, while service sector activity grew modestly.
Elsewhere, data earlier showed that China’s HSBC Flash Purchasing Managers Index rose slightly to 47.8 in September from a final reading of 47.6 in August.
Despite the modest uptick higher, manufacturing activity in China remained in contraction territory for the 11th consecutive month, adding to fears over a further slowdown in the region’s largest economy.
Financial stocks pushed broadly lower, led by Italian lenders Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit, plunging 3% and 2.88%, while Spain's Banco Santander and BBVA slumped 1.75% and 1.47%
Meanwhile, Germanys two biggest lenders, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank, retreated 3.15% and 1.40% respectively, while France's BNP Paribas and Societe Generale tumbled 1.92% and 2.07%.
Energy stocks also extended earlier losses, on the back of dropping oil prices, as French oil group Total plummeted 2.42% and Spain's Repsol dove 3.20%.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 retreated 0.57%, weighed by losses in mining and oil stocks, while data earlier showed that retail sales in the U.K. fell less-than-expected in August.
Mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton plunged 2.48% and 2.68%, while steel producer Evraz
sank 4.20%.
Oil giant Anglo American also trended lower, with shares plunging 3.69%, while BP edged up 0.04% amid reports it is in talks with the Russian government to sell its stake in TNK-BP to Rosneft for billions of dollars in cash and a 12.5% stake in the Russian state oil giant.
Elsewhere, U.K. lenders remained broadly lower. HSBC Holdings fell 0.32% and the Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 0.78%, while shares in Lloyds Banking and Barclays slumped 1.29% and 1.71% respectively.
In the U.S., equity markets followed lower with the Dow Jones down 0.15%, the S&P 500 off by 0.24% and the Nasdaq lower by 0.51% in midsession trade.
Investors are awaiting the Canadian core CPI on Friday on an otherwise light scheduled news day.
At the close of European trade, the EURO STOXX 50 declined 0.57%, France’s CAC 40 slumped 0.62%, while Germany’s DAX 30 eased lower by 0.02%.
Helping support stocks, manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia-region improved more-than-expected in September, but remained in contraction territory for the fifth consecutive month, official data showed on Thursday.
In a report, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said that its manufacturing index improved by 5.2 points to minus 1.9 in September from August’s reading of minus 7.1.
Analysts had expected the index to improve by 3.1 points to a reading of minus 4.0 in September.
On the index, a reading above 0.0 indicates improving conditions, below indicates worsening conditions.
While mixed data from the U.S. Department of Labor said the number of individuals filing for initial jobless benefits in the week ending September 15 fell by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, compared to expectations for a decrease of 10,000 to 375,000.
The previous week’s figure was revised up to 385,000 from a previously reported 382,000.
Sentiment remained under pressure after preliminary data showed that the euro zone’s manufacturing purchasing manufacturers' index rose more-than-expected in September, while service sector activity fell unexpectedly.
A separate report showed that manufacturing activity in Germany contracted at the slowest rate in six months in September, while service sector activity grew modestly.
Elsewhere, data earlier showed that China’s HSBC Flash Purchasing Managers Index rose slightly to 47.8 in September from a final reading of 47.6 in August.
Despite the modest uptick higher, manufacturing activity in China remained in contraction territory for the 11th consecutive month, adding to fears over a further slowdown in the region’s largest economy.
Financial stocks pushed broadly lower, led by Italian lenders Intesa Sanpaolo and Unicredit, plunging 3% and 2.88%, while Spain's Banco Santander and BBVA slumped 1.75% and 1.47%
Meanwhile, Germanys two biggest lenders, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank, retreated 3.15% and 1.40% respectively, while France's BNP Paribas and Societe Generale tumbled 1.92% and 2.07%.
Energy stocks also extended earlier losses, on the back of dropping oil prices, as French oil group Total plummeted 2.42% and Spain's Repsol dove 3.20%.
In London, commodity-heavy FTSE 100 retreated 0.57%, weighed by losses in mining and oil stocks, while data earlier showed that retail sales in the U.K. fell less-than-expected in August.
Mining giants Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton plunged 2.48% and 2.68%, while steel producer Evraz
sank 4.20%.
Oil giant Anglo American also trended lower, with shares plunging 3.69%, while BP edged up 0.04% amid reports it is in talks with the Russian government to sell its stake in TNK-BP to Rosneft for billions of dollars in cash and a 12.5% stake in the Russian state oil giant.
Elsewhere, U.K. lenders remained broadly lower. HSBC Holdings fell 0.32% and the Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 0.78%, while shares in Lloyds Banking and Barclays slumped 1.29% and 1.71% respectively.
In the U.S., equity markets followed lower with the Dow Jones down 0.15%, the S&P 500 off by 0.24% and the Nasdaq lower by 0.51% in midsession trade.
Investors are awaiting the Canadian core CPI on Friday on an otherwise light scheduled news day.