World stocks head for worst losing streak in more than five years

London — Global stocks slid lower on Friday and were set for their worst week in more than five years, as anxiety over corporate profits added to fears about global trade and economic growth.

European shares tracked US stock futures lower after Alphabet and Amazon’s earnings missed expectations, further sapping risk appetite as European earnings also disappointed.

The leading index of eurozone stocks fell 1.5%. Germany’s DAX 30 was down 1.7% and France’s CAC 40 down 1.8%.

The MSCI All-Country World Index, which tracks shares in 47 countries, was down 0.3% after trading began in Europe. It was set for its fifth straight week of losses, its worst losing streak since May 2013.

“Expectations for US company earnings are quite high, so whenever they are not met, the reactions are quite severe,” said Miraji Othman, credit strategist at BayernLB. “We have grown used to solid numbers, 18%r evenue growth, 25% revenue growth and so on. The valuations have become quite ambitious.”

S&P E-mini futures slumped 0.84%, potentially setting up a rough session for US markets.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.9%, erasing gains made in the opening hour and hitting its lowest level since February 2017. The Chinese yuan slid past a key level, refocusing attention on slowing growth in the world’s second-biggest economy.

The MSCI Asia index has been bruised by a sell-off in the past several days, and is on course for its fifth weekly loss — its longest losing streak since 2015. It has fallen more than 4% this week. Chinese shares were pulled lower and the yuan fell past 6.96 to the dollar, touching its weakest level against the dollar since December 2016.

The blue-chip index was down 0.6% and the Shanghai Composite was 0.2% lower. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index was 1.1%  lower, with tech shares dropping 3.13%.

Tech firms also fell in South Korea, where the broader market slid 1.75%. The Kospi had earlier touched its lowest level since December 2016. Australian shares ended flat. Japan’s Nikkei stock index closed 0.4% lower, ending the week down 5.98%.

Financial markets have been whipsawed in recent sessions amid concern over global growth created by US-China trade frictions, a mixed bag of US corporate earnings, US Federal Reserve rate increases, and an Italian budget dispute.

Bear markets — a price drop of 20% or more from recent peaks — have increased across indices and individual stocks since the start of this year.

“The first, and most important [worry] is that Fed tightening and fading fiscal stimulus will cause the US economy to take a turn for the worse … The second is that China’s economy will continue to struggle,” analysts at Capital Economics said in a note to clients. “As we have been arguing for a while now, these worries are likely to get worse over the next 12months or so.”

Mind the gap 

In currency markets, the euro fell after European Central Bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi said the bank’s €2.6-trillion asset purchase programme would end this year and interest rates might rise after next summer, despite fears about the monetary union’s economic and political future. The euro was 0.1% lower at $1.1365.

The dollar was off 0.3% against the yen at ¥112.04. The dollar index, which tracks the US currency against a basket of six major rivals, was 0.05% lower at 96.629.

Traders expect a strong reading of US GDP data on Friday, which could see the dollar strengthen.

“[Friday’s] robust US GDP will illustrate to the market the deep division between the US and the eurozone when it comes to growth performance,” said Commerzbank analyst Thu Lan Nguyen.

The pound was near seven-week lows against the dollar on Friday and three-week lows against the euro, as doubt grows about whether the UK and the EU can clinch a Brexit deal.

Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter, reported on Friday that Brexit talks were on hold because Prime Minister Theresa May’s cabinet was not close enough to agreement on how to proceed.

US treasury yields fell as equity markets plunged. The 10-year yield fell to 3.0920% compared with its US close of 3.136% on Thursday.

Oil prices headed for a third weekly loss after Saudi Arabia warned of over-supply and the slump in stock markets and concern about trade clouded the outlook for fuel demand. US crude dipped 1% to $66.68 a barrel. Brent crude fell 0.73% to $76.33 a barrel.

Spot gold ticked up 0.4% to $1,236.17 an ounce. 

Reuters