​Global stocks lower on growth concern

BEIJING - Global stock markets were mostly lower Wednesday after weaker Chinese manufacturing and a cut in Europe's growth outlook fueled fears about the global economy.

In early trading, Britain's FTSE 100 index was off 0.4 percent at 6,159.14. France's CAC 40 was off just under 0.1 percent at 4,369.52 and Germany's DAX was unchanged at 9,922.78. On Tuesday, the FTSE lost 11 percent, the DAX fell 1.8 percent and the CAC 40 shed 1.6 percent.

Wall Street looked set to decline, with futures for the Dow down 0.5 percent; S&P 500 futures fell 0.6 percent. On Tuesday, the Dow lost 0.8 percent and the S&P fell 0.9 percent. The Nasdaq composite shed 1.1 percent.

Sydney's S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.5 percent to 5,271.10 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index lost 0.7 percent to 20,525.83. Seoul's Kospi shed 0.5 percent to 1,976.71 and India's Sensex retreated 0.3 percent to 25,156.02. The Shanghai Composite Index was unchanged at 2,991.27 and benchmarks in New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan and Indonesia also fell. Japanese markets were closed for a holiday.

Weaker manufacturing in China and a cut in the eurozone's growth forecast fueled concern about the global outlook. The latest data, combined with the Australian central bank's decision to cut interest rates, "challenged expectations of growth recovery," Citigroup said in a report.

"The wind in the sails of a global stock rally seems to have lessened lately," Bernard Aw of IG said in a report. "Technical traders might say that some correction is necessary for the rally to continue, but I feel that the underlying factors are beginning to turn its tail."

A survey of manufacturers found activity weakened in April despite government efforts to stimulate the slowing economy. A prolonged slowdown could hurt prices of commodities, for which Chinese factories are major customers, and the economies that supply them. Worries about China were largely responsible for a bout of turmoil in global financial markets early this year.

European officials trimmed their economic growth forecasts for the 19 countries that share the euro currency, citing an unpredictable global outlook marked by political uncertainty and weakness in emerging markets. The European Union forecast the eurozone economy would grow by 1.6 percent this year, down by 0.1 point from its expectations three months ago. European Union Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said the recovery "remains uneven."

Benchmark U.S. crude added 7 cents to $43.72 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract plunged $1.13 on Tuesday to close at $43.65. Brent crude, used to price international oils, was off 3 cents at $44.93 in London. It tumbled 86 cents on Tuesday to $44.97.

The dollar rose to 106.99 yen from Tuesday's 106.68 yen. The euro edged down to $1.1482 from $1.1499.