US markets slid as China reduces growth target

06 Mar 2012 Evaluate

The US markets ended lower on Monday, after China announced the lowest economic growth target since 2004 and European services and manufacturing output came less than earlier estimated. Also, investors saw reason for concern in some of the components of a US services-sector gauge. The US service sector expanded at a somewhat faster pace in February and indicated growing optimism about the economy. The Institute for Supply Management’s nonmanufacturing index rose to 57.3% in February from 56.8% in January, better than expected. Its employment index, however, slipped to 55.7% from 57.4% and its price index, which measures inflation, jumped to 68.4% from 63.5% in the prior month. A separate report had orders to US factories declining in January for the first time in three months. Factory orders in January slumped 1% to $462.6 billion. December's gain was upwardly revised to show 1.4% growth from an initially reported 1.1% gain.

China’s government lowered its economic-growth target to 7.5% from last year’s 8%, indicating that it intends to focus on higher-quality economic development that emphasizes internal consumption and services. In Europe, Italy and Spain stood out as the leading trouble spots as a gauge of euro-area business activity contracted in February. Also, investors are awaiting the outcome of Greek private investors’ willingness to participate in the bond swap deal. It is not clear how the credit default swaps will be treated by the industry association because under the Greek laws any acceptance rate below 66% will trigger the collective action clause and under the UK law the trigger is set below 75% acceptance rate. Investors have March 8 deadline to accept or reject the debt swap.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed lower by 14.76 points, or 0.11 percent, at 12,962.80. The S&P 500 lost 5.30 points, or 0.39 percent, at 1,364.33, while the Nasdaq was down by 25.71 points, or 0.86 percent, at 2,950.48.

Indian ADRs closed in red on Monday, ICICI Bank was down 1.00%, Dr. Reddy’s Lab was down 0.65%, Infosys Technologies was down 0.61%, Sterlite Industries was down 0.40% and Tata Communication was down 0.27%.

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