World stock markets had mixed fortunes on Friday, with fearful investors groping for direction at the end of a mad month of wild volatility and huge losses amid fears that a deep recession lies ahead.
Equities in Frankfurt, London, New York and Paris have all plunged by between 15% and 17% since the beginning of October and Tokyo has lost about one quarter of its value.
“Today [Friday] is month-end, bringing to an end one of the most volatile months for financial markets in recent history,” said Barclays Capital analyst David Woo.
“The concerns about the US economy and the global banking crisis remain.”
Jeffrey Dawkins, CEO at United States-based asset managers the FQ Group, said in a note to clients: “October is historically a good month for the markets. After a month like this, who needs a bad month?”
Global stock markets struggled to recover on Friday, despite continued efforts by policymakers to tackle a credit crunch, with Japan joining an international interest-rate-cutting campaign.
US shares were mixed at the open as the market digested strong gains over the week and mulled the latest data showing more caution by American consumers.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0,15% to 9 194,70 points in highly tentative early trading after a 189-point rally on Thursday.
The Nasdaq composite retreated 0,67% to 1 687,18.
Sentiment was affected by news that American consumers cut spending by a sharp 0,3% in September in the face of intense financial market turmoil.
A Commerce Department report said the drop in consumer spending — which accounts for two-thirds of US economic activity — came even as incomes rose 0,2%.
In Europe, London’s FTSE 100 index fell 1,44% and Paris 0,75%, while Frankfurt eked out a gain of 0,73% in mid-afternoon trade.
London investors digested news that British bank Barclays was to raise $11,7-billion, mostly from oil-rich investors in Abu Dhabi and Qatar, to bolster its finances amid the global credit crunch.
The new capital means that Barclays will not have to receive funding from the British government, unlike some of its competitors.
British telecoms operator BT Group saw its share price collapse by more than a quarter after it issued a surprise profits warning, saying that second-quarter earnings would fall short of expectations.
Shares in French cosmetics giant L’Oreal also slumped in response to a sliding third-quarter sales and a profit warning because of the economic downturn.
Shares fell sharply in Tokyo, down 5%, even though Japan’s central bank cut its super-low interest rates for the first time in seven years — by 20 basis points to 0,3%.
Hong Kong closed down 2,5% as investors locked in recent sharp gains sparked by hopes that the credit crunch was easing.
“The rally is seen to be over,” said Francis Lun, general manager at Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong. “It’s time to take profit.”
The mood was brighter in other parts of Asia. Seoul rose 2,6%, Taipei added almost 4% and Sydney edged up 0,4%.
India gained 8,22 p% on hopes of a rate cut from India’s central bank.
This week, central banks from the US to Asia have lowered borrowing costs as part of concerted efforts to avert a financial system meltdown.
Speculation is growing that the European Central Bank and the Bank of England could follow suit next week with fresh rate cuts, but the fear is that the action may be too late to prevent a global recession. — AFP