US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Republicans would unveil a new stimulus proposal but hit out at Democrats for not wanting to compromise . ©AFP Brendan Smialowski

London (AFP) – Global stock markets mostly rose Tuesday after another healthy month for equities, fuelled by expectations of cheap borrowing for years to come but London slipped as investors returned from a long holiday weekend.

Asia was buoyed partly by a survey of Chinese manufacturing which indicated a pick-up in activity, offering reassurance that the world’s second biggest economy is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic crisis.

“Stock markets … have taken their cue from some better economic data overnight in Asia, while indices in mainland Europe have continued to move higher in the wake of gains in the US,” noted IG analyst Chris Beauchamp, who also signalled some caution before critical US elections on November.

In Wall Street action, the Nasdaq powered Monday to yet another record with tech firms fired up by people being forced to stay home by the virus.

The Dow and S&P 500 dipped though both enjoyed their best August in more than 30 years.

However, signs of a new pick-up in infections around the world and a lack of any movement on a new US stimulus package for the world’s top economy were keeping many buyers at bay.

“August 2020, far from being a poor month, was in fact one of the strongest in recent memory and was notably free of the volatility that often characterises the month,” Beauchamp added.

“But with the US election now some eight weeks away there will be heightened expectations of renewed volatility.”

Nearing the half-way stage, London stocks slid with investor sentiment muted after a bank holiday closure on Monday.

However, the Frankfurt and Paris stock markets rebounded from Monday’s downbeat session.

In foreign exchange activity, the euro shrugged off news that eurozone consumer price inflation fell in August into negative territory for the first time since May 2016.

The EU’s Eurostat data agency said  inflation fell to negative 0.2 percent in August. That marked a steep drop from a positive 0.4 percent in July and was even further off the official target of near two percent.

The descent into deflationary territory comes despite historic stimulus measures by the European Central Bank to stimulate prices and breathe life into the European economy.

Traders were meanwhile switching their attention to key US jobs data due Friday.

The non-farm payrolls figures will provide the latest snapshot of an economy that has been struggling in recent weeks from the reimposition of some virus containment measures owing to fresh flare-ups across the country. Updates on the factory and services sectors are also due this week.

Still, the weakness has not given US lawmakers any urgency to push through a new rescue deal, with Republicans and Democrats still at loggerheads.

– Key figures around 1100 GMT –

London – FTSE 100: DOWN 1.3 percent at 5,886.55 points

Frankfurt – DAX 30: UP 0.7 percent at 13,031.30

Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 4,957.40

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.5 percent at 3,288.15

Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 23,138.07 (close)

Hong Kong – Hang Seng: FLAT at 25,184.85 (close)

Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 3,410.61 (close)

New York – Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent at 28,430.05 (close Monday)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1969 from $1.1936 at 2100 GMT on Monday

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 105.74 yen from 105.91 yen

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3416 from $1.3370

Euro/pound: UP at 89.21 pence from 89.28 pence

Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.1 percent at $45.76 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.1 percent at $43.06

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Disclaimer: Validity of the above story is for 7 Days from original date of publishing. Source: AFP.