Skip to content
Political Economist

Political Economist

A liberal News reporting Politics, Sports, Business, Commentaries

  • Home
  • National News
    • Metro News
      • metro
    • Society
    • Politics
    • Crime and Justice
  • Special Reports
    • Investigation
    • Features
    • Interviews
  • Opinion
    • Business & Economy
    • Commentaries
    • Perspectives
  • Press Releases
  • International News
Watch Online
  • Home
  • International News
  • Global stocks take fright as recession warnings grow
  • International News

Global stocks take fright as recession warnings grow

Admin August 14, 2019

European stocks fell on Wednesday as Germany’s economy went into reverse, reviving fears of global recession and tempering a rally for equities after Washington delayed tariffs on some Chinese imports.

Europe’s biggest economy shrank 0.1% in the second quarter as the trade war and weak demand dragged on German manufacturers The euro zone as a whole reported gross domestic product grew just 0.2% in the same quarter.

The Euro STOXX 600 fell 0.4%. Markets in London, Frankfurt and Paris FCHI lost from 0.2% to 0.6%. Wall Street futures gauges were also lower .

Bond markets were also flashing warning signals of recession. The gap between U.S. two-year and 10-year Treasury yields – a closely watched metric for signs of a slowdown – fell to less than a basis point after shrinking on Tuesday to its narrowest since June 2007.

The German figures, along with data showing the slowest growth for Chinese industrial output in 17 years stoking recession worries, knocked the wind out the sails for stocks.

Equity investors on Wall Street and Asia had cheered earlier when U.S. President Donald Trump pushed back a Sept. 1 deadline for new tariffs on remaining Chinese imports.

The S&P 500, which had fallen 1% on Monday, rose 1.5% overnight, sending Asian stocks outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS up 0.6%. Benchmarks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo all mirrored the surge in U.S. stocks.

But the momentum ebbed in Europe, as optimism faded that Trump’s move meant tensions were easing and Germany’s slowdown showed the damage already done by the trade war.

“The trade war and the dispute between U.S. and China has already had an impact – especially when you look at countries most sensitive to global trade like Germany and even Italy,” said Christophe Barraud, chief economist and strategist at Market Securities in Paris.

The MSCI world equity index .MIWD00000PUS, which tracks shares in 47 countries, was flat.

In another sign the trade dispute is dragging on economic growth, China’s industrial output slowed more than expected in July. Its 4.8% growth was the lowest in 17 years.

The Japanese yen, considered a safe haven, gained 0.3% to 106.42 per dollar as the Chinese data signaled that any resolution to the trade war was a long way off.

Mirroring that view, the offshore Chinese yuan fell 0.4% against the dollar to 7.0337, erasing gains made the day before and remaining weaker than the 7 to the dollar it reached last week.

In commodity markets, oil prices fell after the Chinese data from China and a rise in U.S. crude inventories, erasing some of the gains made after Trump’s tariff delay.

Brent crude LCOc1 was down 54 cents, or 0.9%, at $60.76 a barrel at 0744 GMT, after rising 4.7% on Tuesday, its biggest percentage gain since December.

REUTERS

  • Facebook
  • Share on X
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Copy Link
Tags: Christophe Barraud donald Trump

Post navigation

Previous Exposed! How Nigerian Yahoo Boys fleece lonely UK widows of £50m a year
Next EFCC arraigns Atiku’s son-in-law, Abdullahi Babalele

Related Stories

Microsoft outage hits Outlook, Teams and Copilot worldwide Microsoft
  • International News

Microsoft outage hits Outlook, Teams and Copilot worldwide

November 13, 2026
History in New Jersey: Nigerian-Born Lawyer Shirley Emehelu Sworn In as Lieutenant Governor
  • International News

History in New Jersey: Nigerian-Born Lawyer Shirley Emehelu Sworn In as Lieutenant Governor

November 11, 2026
Top 11 ‘Firsts’ about US midterm elections: First open gay, first black governor, others
  • International News

Top 11 ‘Firsts’ about US midterm elections: First open gay, first black governor, others

November 4, 2026

You may have missed

Be firm and decisive against promoters of electoral violence, Tinubu charges security agencies 
  • Politics

Be firm and decisive against promoters of electoral violence, Tinubu charges security agencies 

November 15, 2026
JOS RALLY: Yilwatda charges North Central guber candidates to work for Tinubu victory APC rally
  • Politics

JOS RALLY: Yilwatda charges North Central guber candidates to work for Tinubu victory

November 14, 2026
Army Recovers 12 Rifles, Rescues 10 Captives as Terrorists Initiate Surrender in Kwara Soldiers beat policemen
  • National News

Army Recovers 12 Rifles, Rescues 10 Captives as Terrorists Initiate Surrender in Kwara

November 14, 2026
A resolute electorate can wield power, by Monday Philips Ekpe
  • Commentaries

A resolute electorate can wield power, by Monday Philips Ekpe

November 14, 2026
  • Home
  • National News
    • Metro News
      • metro
    • Society
    • Politics
    • Crime and Justice
  • Special Reports
    • Investigation
    • Features
    • Interviews
  • Opinion
    • Business & Economy
    • Commentaries
    • Perspectives
  • Press Releases
  • International News
Copyright © All rights reserved. | DarkNews by AF themes.