· The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 fell for a second day in a row on Wednesday as investors grappled with key testimonies on U.S.-China trade relations, Federal Reserve monetary policy as well as a host of geopolitical issues.
The 30-stock Dow dipped 72.82 points to 25,985.16 as UnitedHealth underperformed. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1 percent to 2,792.38, led lower by the communications services and health care sectors. The Nasdaq Composite eked out a small gain, closing nearly 0.1 percent higher at 7,554.51.
· European stocks traded in the red during Wednesday's session, as investors digested the latest political and economic news from around the world.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed provisionally down 0.38 percent by the late afternoon with all but three sectors in negative territory.
· European shares are running out of steam and are expected to end 2019 roughly at their current level, a Reuters poll showed, as continuous political risks and slowing growth keep a tight lid on their upward potential.
According to the survey of over 30 brokers, fund managers and analysts taken Feb. 12-25, the pan-European STOXX 600 benchmark index is seen ending the year at 371 points, which was almost the level it closed at on Tuesday.
Expectations were less optimistic for the euro zone blue-chip index which was seen losing about 40 points and closing 2019 at 3,250 points. Germany’s DAX was expected to retreat about 120 points to 11,420points.
· Global stock markets in 2019 will at best only recoup losses from the deep sell-off late last year, according to equity market analysts in Reuters polls, who reckon the risk is skewed more toward a sharp fall by mid-year.
“There are significant risks to the outlook for 2019,” noted David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management.
“2018 has been a difficult year for investors as long bull markets... have encountered strong headwinds, and international stocks have underperformed following a very strong 2017. Shifting fundamentals in an aging expansion have certainly played their part in slowing investment returns.”
“Risks for global stocks are skewed to a sharp fall as a global economic slowdown gathers pace, the current business cycle is fairly old and global central banks have limited firepower to support weakening economies,” said Vyacheslav Smolyaninov, chief equity strategist at BCS Global Markets.
· Markets in Asia slipped in Thursday morning trade amid a spate of geopolitical concerns ranging from escalating tensions between India and Pakistan to U.S.-China trade uncertainty. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are set to enter a second day of nuclear talks in Vietnam on Thursday.
Japan's Nikkei 225 declined 0.27 percent while the Topix shed 0.37 percent in early trade, as shares of robot maker Fanuc fell 1.78 percent.
In South Korea, the Kospi slipped 0.47 percent as industry heavyweight Samsung Electronics and chipmaker SK Hynix saw their stock drop 1.82 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively, following a slump in semiconductor stocks overnight stateside which saw the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) declining around 1 percent.
Australia's ASX 200 slipped around 0.23 percent as the sectors mostly declined.
Reference: CNBC, Reuters
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