US markets drops as Chinese growth concerns weigh

21 Mar 2012 Evaluate

The US markets dropped on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 Index retreating after a three-session advances that had the index near a four-year high, amid concern that growth will slow in China. Also, the US Commerce Department reported housing starts fell last month while permits for future building rose to their highest level since October 2008. US builders started construction on new homes in February at a slightly slower pace, but the biggest increase in permits in 3 1/2 years indicates work will pick up in coming months. Housing starts fell 1.1% to an annual rate of 698,000 last month, compared with an upwardly revised 706,000 in January.

China, the world’s biggest energy consumer and steelmaker, is raising fuel prices for the second time in less than six weeks and the nation’s steel production is slowing. China’s steel production is slowing as the economy focuses more on consumers than large infrastructure projects. Vehicle sales may miss industry forecasts this year as economic growth slows, an official from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers stated. In Europe, Greece received the first €7.5 billion of aid from its new EU/IMF bailout, government officials stated. Spain raised €5.044 billion in an auction of 12- and 18-month bonds at lower borrowing costs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed lower by 68.94 points, or 0.52 percent, at 13,170.20. The S&P 500 lost 4.23 points, or 0.30 percent, at 1,405.52, while the Nasdaq was down by 4.17 points, or 0.14 percent, at 3,074.15.

Indian ADRs closed mixed on Tuesday, Tata Motors was down 1.14%, ICICI Bank was down 0.49% and Infosys Technologies was down 0.45%. On the flip side, Tata Communications was up 0.07% and HDFC Bank was up 0.05%.

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