Global stocks drop as investors shrug off recovery hopes

Global stock markets slid Tuesday as Wall Street weakness offset positive economic data, while investors looked ahead to key interest rate decisions due this week.

Data showed an improvement in Chinese economic activity in January after officials lifted strict Covid curbs AFP News

Global stock markets slid Tuesday as Wall Street weakness offset positive economic data, while investors looked ahead to key interest rate decisions due this week.

"A sense of nervousness has been creeping into the markets in recent sessions, evident by another bad showing on Wall Street," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

"That's extended to Asian and European stocks on Tuesday, causing a wobble among the main indices."

Investors absorbed data showing that the eurozone economy grew by a slender 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter, confounding expectations of a contraction.

"The surprise growth... makes a technical recession across the eurozone an increasingly unlikely prospect," noted CEBR economist Karl Thompson.

The International Monetary Fund forecast that Germany and Italy would avoid recessions in 2023.

France also avoided a contraction in the fourth quarter, but French President Emmanuel Macron faced nationwide strikes and protests on Tuesday over his plan to reform pensions.

London stocks took a knock after the IMF said the UK economy would contract 0.6 percent this year as inflation remains stubbornly high.

That would make Britain the worst performer among the world's advanced economies, and compared with prior guidance for 0.3-percent growth.

It was also another busy day for company results, with oil major ExxonMobil posting record profits of $55.7 billion in 2022, Swiss bank UBS posting better-than-expected quarterly earnings and music streaming service Spotify reporting an increase in subscribers but an annual financial loss.

Elsewhere Tuesday, Asian equities fell despite data showing a bounce in Chinese economic activity.

Traders shrugged off data showing China's factory activity expanded in January after four months of contraction as the economy reopened from strict Covid curbs.

Investors looked ahead to Wednesday when the Federal Reserve is due to announce another rise in US borrowing costs to tackle inflation.

Analysts expected a 25 basis-point lift, which would be less aggressive than December's half-point lift.

Investors are already speculating that slowing US inflation could allow for a possible rate cut towards the year's end, even though several policy board members have consistently pushed back against such a move, insisting they will not let up until prices are under control.

The Bank of England and the European Central Bank will both unveil their latest rate calls on Thursday.

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.8 percent at 7,725.72 points

Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.5 percent at 15,052.33

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,044.53

EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.4 percent at 4,140.21

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 27,327.11 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.0 percent at 21,842.33 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,255.67 (close)

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent at 33,717.09 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0829 from $1.0851 on Monday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2315 from $1.2352

Euro/pound: UP at 87.93 pence from 87.85 pence