NEW YORK: Stocks dipped on Friday as data out of China, the eurozone and the United States put a lid on expectations for a sustained global rebound, with traders already worried about a delay in US fiscal stimulus.

European shares were weighed further by a hit to travel stocks after Britain added more European countries, including France, to its quarantine list.

The pan-European STOXX 600 was down 1.17 per cent , although still on track to gain for a second straight week.

On Wall Street, a slowdown in retail sales growth last month and concern over further retracement from consumers weighed on stocks, with the main indexes mixed, though not far from record highs.

The retail sales figures “suggest the recovery has continued to grind on even in the face of the resurgence in virus cases,” Michael Pearce, senior US economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.

“The expiry of additional Federal unemployment benefits at the end of July poses a downside risk to spending in the near term,” he added, noting that his view is “consumption growth will recover gradually from here.”

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 30.44 points, or 0.11pc, to 27,927.16, the S&P 500 gained 1.5 points, or 0.04pc, to 3,374.93 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 33.61 points, or 0.3pc, to 11,008.90.

MSCI’s world index shed 0.22pc, drifting further from all-time highs touched in February. The index has still rallied close to 50pc from March’s trough despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The eurozone reported the biggest drop it ever recorded in employment in the second quarter. Data also confirmed a record fall in gross domestic product last quarter and a widening in the eurozone’s trade surplus with the rest of the world.

Data showing a slower-than-expected rise in Chinese industrial production and a surprise fall in retail sales put Asian shares on the defensive.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.2pc, although shares in Japan rose 0.2pc.

Chinese shares rose 1.5pc in choppy trade, with the data suggesting domestic demand is still struggling after the coronavirus outbreak.

Yields on US Treasuries dipped but remained elevated after an auction of 30-year bonds on Thursday met weak demand.

Benchmark 10-year notes last rose 7/32 in price to yield 0.6931pc, from 0.716pc late on Thursday.

Some traders stuck to the sidelines before a meeting between US and Chinese officials about the two countries’ Phase 1 trade deal on Saturday.

Gold ticked lower and was on track for its steepest weekly fall since March, following a string of nine weeks of gains.

Spot gold dropped 0.6pc to $1,940.76 an ounce. Silver , also on track for a weekly loss after a long string of gains, fell 3.51pc to $26.59.

The dollar index was headed for an eighth consecutive week of losses, its longest weekly losing streak in a decade.

The index fell 0.151%, with the euro up 0.16pc to $1.1831.

The Japanese yen strengthened 0.41pc versus the greenback at 106.48 per dollar, while Sterling was last trading at $1.3104, up 0.31pc on the day.

Oil edged further below $45 a barrel, giving up some of this week’s gain, under pressure from doubts about demand recovery due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rising supply.

US crude recently fell 0.33pc to $42.10 per barrel and Brent was at $44.84, down 0.27pc on the day.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2020