Major global share markets tumble as recession fears grow
NEW YORK - Panic gripped Wall Street on Wednesday as investors fled shares amid fears over a US-China trade war and the health of the global economy.
The three main stock markets closed 3% down, with analysts pointing to signals the US may be heading for recession. Weak data from Germany and China, and another attack on the US central bank by President Donald Trump, helped fuel a rush for haven assets like gold. Analyst Oliver Pursche, from Bruderman, said the global picture was precarious. "What's happening in Hong Kong, what's happening with Brexit and the trade war, it's all a mess," the chief market strategist said. "Every central bank around the world is trying to prop up economies and every politician around the world is trying to destroy economies." News that Germany's GDP contracted in the second quarter, and that China's industrial growth in July hit a 17-year low, had already spooked markets in Europe. The FTSE 100 closed down 1.5%, while in Germany and France the markets finished more than 2% lower. Another fear was that the bond market was flashing recession warnings. The yield on two-year and 10-year Treasury bonds inverted for the first time since June 2007. This odd bond market phenomenon is seen as a reliable indicator of possible recession. Meanwhile, the CBOE volatility index - the so-called fear index - jumped 4.26 points to 21.78, and spot gold prices rebounded, rising more than 1%. All of the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500 were in the red, with energy and financial suffering the largest percentage loss. Banks also fell heavily, with Citigroup down more than 5%.