Negative Data, Ukraine Hit Europe And Asia

The markets seem to be stiffened with expectations or fears due to the pressure from various events, and seem unable to find the opportunity to find ground for movement in one direction or another. The Ukrainian factor still puts pressure upon world platforms. Victor Yanukovych speech, which took place yesterday, did not become a sensation, but, at the same time, did not minimize uncertainty in the markets. The international disputes on the legitimacy of occurring events remain in the spotlight. In the meantime, the process of separation of Crimea continues to develop. Yesterday, the Supreme Council of the autonomy adopted the declaration of independence of the republic.

Published macroeconomic statistics in the Eurozone also disappointed investors. Growth of industrial production of Great Britain in January made 0.1% for the month and 2,9% for the year, when analysts were predicting 0,2% and 3,0% respectively. At the same time, the surplus of the trade balance of Germany was reduced in January from 18,3 billion euro a month earlier, to 17,2 billion euro, which was worse than market expectations of 17,7 billion euro.

As a result, the trading session in Europe finished with the British FTSE 100 falling by 0,06%, the French CAC 40 by 0,48%, and the German DAX increasing by 0,46%. The regional STXE 600 indicator increased, in turn, by less than 0,1%, having closed on a mark of 337,28 points.

The attention of investors was also drawn towards the statistics from China, where the export in the country was reduced in February by 18%, which warmed up fears concerning the rates of its economic growth. This news pushed the American indices to go down, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average index weakened by 0,41%, closing on a level of 16351,25 points. The index of the wide market, S&P 500, went to a minus by 0,51% to the level of 1867,63 points, and the index of the hi-tech companies, Nasdaq, fell by 0,63% to a level of 4307,19 points.

Reuters reports that the Chinese Central Bank could, for the first time since 2012, reduce norms of reservation for banks, if rates of economic growth will fall lower than 7,5%. The following big block of statistics from China is expected tomorrow - data on retails and industrial production for February.