EM stocks slide on growth fears, trade tensions

Emerging-market shares fell from eight-month highs on Thursday as risk appetite faded as trade tensions continued and the US and European Union central banks reinforced worries about sluggish growth.

MSCI’s index for emerging-market stocks fell 0.4% after the longest winning streak since January last year. Upbeat China data and optimism over a possible trade deal between Washington and Beijing fuelled the rally.

The European Central Bank left borrowing costs unchanged on Wednesday and warned that threats to economic growth remained. Later, minutes from a March 19-20 Federal Reserve meeting acknowledged the global slowdown but suggest the US economy could sail through.

Trade tension between the United States and the EU after President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on EU goods while the Sino-US trade dispute remains unresolved.

Leading the slide by stocks were mainland Chinese and Hong Kong shares, which 0.8% and 2%.

Indian shares were little changed a day before retail inflation data and the onset of corporate results. Investors also held back as voting began in the weeks-long general election.

Stocks on Moscow’s MOEX index came off record highs as lower oil prices weighed on shares of energy companies.

India’s rupee and Indonesia’s rupiah rose, while Russia’s rouble slid.

The rouble had hit a two-week high against the dollar the day before after the finance ministry sold a record volume of Federal Loan Obligations bonds.

Turkey’s lira fell 0.4%. The government pledged on Wednesday to boost the capital level of banks and relieve bad debts after last year’s currency crisis, as the country moved to revive an economy plagued by inflation and recession.

In emerging Europe, the Czech crown was higher against the euro. The Czech government may run deficit in 2020, the first since 2015, according to a draft Finance Ministry document.