By David Randall
NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Global equity markets and oil
prices tumbled Tuesday as a sharp sell-off in technology stocks
and rising concerns over the U.K. leaving the European Union
without a trade agreement threatened to stall a rally that had
pushed world shares near record highs despite the coronavirus
pandemic.
Fresh tensions between Washington and Beijing after U.S.
President Donald Trump again raised the idea of decoupling the
U.S. and Chinese economies also came into focus but appeared to
have little impact.
"I think the market will shrug this off as electioneering
but may find the lining up of technology stock sellers harder to
process as the U.S. market returns from a holiday yesterday,"
said Chris Bailey, European Strategist at Raymond James.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed
1.55% following broad declines in Europe and modest gains in
Asian markets.
In morning trading on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial
Average .DJI fell 371.63 points, or 1.32%, to 27,761.68, the
S&P 500 .SPX lost 63.71 points, or 1.86%, to 3,363.25 and the
Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 359.72 points, or 3.18%, to
10,953.41.
While many market players were unable to pinpoint a single
trigger for the Nasdaq's plunge, valuations have been stretched
given its 75% gain from a bottom hit in March with big bets on
the option market possibly creating extra turbulence.
"Whatever the reason ... tech and growth investors have to
decide whether this is a chance to buy on the dips - yet again -
or a call to lock in what could be substantial profits," said AJ
Bell Investment Director Russ Mould.
In foreign exchange markets, the dollar rose slightly
against a basket of currencies =USD at 93.291 and stood up
against the euro EUR=EBS at $1.1800 with the main focus on
Thursday's ECB policy meeting.
Most analysts do not expect a change in the central bank's
policy stance but are looking at its inflation forecasts and
whether an accommodative tone could help cool down the surge in
the bloc's single currency.
"I think the ECB's message will be clearly dovish, given the
latest numbers on inflation and the recent rally in the euro,"
said Pasquale Diana, Senior Macro Economist at investment
manager AcomeA SGR.
Investors moved into the perceived safety of U.S. government
bonds. Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 13/32 in
price to yield 0.682%, from 0.723% late on Friday.
Concerns also rose about the path of the UK's exit from the
European Union after the head of the British government's legal
department quit over suggestions that Prime Minister Boris
Johnson was threatening to override parts of the Withdrawal
Agreement treaty signed in January, increasing the chances of a
disorderly Brexit
Oil fell on worries that a recovery in demand could weaken
as coronavirus infections flare up around the world.
U.S. crude CLc1 recently fell 7.09% to $36.95 per barrel
and Brent LCOc1 was at $40.14, down 4.45% on the day.
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Global assets http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
MSCI All Country Wolrd Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
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