Chinese stocks tumbled Wednesday on continued disappointment over a lack of fresh Chinese stimulus measures and scant detail on measures already unveiled.
Europe’s main stock markets rose slightly, however, as oil prices steadied.
The dollar climbed against its main rivals on expectations that interest rate differentials will continue to favour the US currency.
“The fizz seems to be coming out of the market as the Chinese rally fades away and futures prices imply a pullback when Wall Street opens,” noted Russ Mould, investment director at traders AJ Bell.
China’s recent announcements to kickstart its domestic growth fuelled a global equities rally, but investors were left deflated Tuesday when a press conference did not provide any new measures.
Investors are now awaiting a Saturday briefing on fiscal policy by Finance Minister Lan Fo’an for more indications about official plans, although analysts warned there was unlikely to be the big “bazooka” stimulus akin to the support seen during the global financial crisis.
Shehzad Qazi at China Beige Book said Beijing was “opting for targeting stimulus — including allocating funds for projects previously announced”.
Hong Kong’s stock market had soared more than 20 percent between the first batch of announced measures in late September and the start of this week.
The Hang Seng Index collapsed more than nine percent on Tuesday — its worst day since 2008 — and shed another one percent Wednesday.
Shanghai ended 6.6-percent lower on Wednesday.
Still, most other markets in the region rose as investors took their lead from Tuesday’s rise in New York, where tech firms led the way on optimism over the world’s largest economy in the wake of Friday’s forecast-topping jobs report.
Tokyo ended higher Wednesday, with Seven & i Holdings — the owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain — piling on as much as 12 percent after a report said Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard had hiked its takeover offer to more than $47 billion.
While the US jobs figures dented expectations for back-to-back bumper interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this month, they did temper worries about a possible recession.
US consumer and producer prices data towards the end of the week should provide further clues on the rate outlook, while the third-quarter earnings season kicks off Friday.
– Key figures around 1045 GMT –
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 6.6 percent at 3,258.86 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 8,221.94 points
Paris – CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 7,537.90
Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.2 percent at 19,105.40
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 20,637.24 (close)
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.9 percent at 39,277.96 (close)
New York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 42,080.37 (close)
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.3 percent at $73.36 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $77.06 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0965 from $1.0981 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3092 from $1.3100
Dollar/yen: UP at 148.55 yen from 148.29 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.74 pence from 83.79 pence
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