FTSE 250 drops 1.1 percent on session

Equities markets in Europe were lower on Thursday‘s session. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 fell 0.63 percent to 1,539.89. In Frankfurt the Dax was 0.19 percent lower to 7,735.09, while Madrid’s IBEX was down 0.47 percent to 14,427.1 and the Paris CAC-40 dropped 0.73 percent to 5,688.76. London’s markets were also lower. The FTSE 100 was down 0.48 percent to 6,429 while the FTSE 250 was 1.1 percent lower to 11,013.8

Mixed quarterly reports sent Wall Street lower at midday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.13 percent to 13,797.35, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.18 percent to 2,661.71 and the S&P 500 was 0.27 percent lower to 1,524.96

Equities markets in the Asia-Pacific region were mixed, but most managed gains. In Singapore, however, the Straits Times index dropped 1.17 percent to 3,552.46. India’s Sensex was 0.15 percent higher to 16,347.95, while the Kospi index gained 0.33 percent to 1,908.97 in South Korea. The Hang Seng added 0.57 percent to 25,701.13 for another new high in Hong Kong. In Australia, the S&P/ASX200 was 0.59 percent higher to 6,393.7 and the Sydney Ordinaries gained 0.61 percent to 6,388. Taiwan’s Taiex was up 0.63 percent to 8,983.03. The Shanghai Composite jumped 1.39 percent to 5,470.06. Markets were mixed in Tokyo. The Nikkei 225 was 0.2 percent higher to 16,413.79, but the Topix index retreated slightly and was down 0.05 percent to 1,566.84. The Mothers market of small and mid-caps also declined, falling 0.81 percent to 628.23.

Crude oil prices were mixed, with New York prices higher and London seeing declines. Base metals were mixed in London at midday, but precious metals trade in the afternoon in New York saw prices gain. Among agricultural commodities, grains were higher.

The US dollar weakened again, while the euro saw gains.

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