Global shares fall in soft markets
Most world sharemarkets eased back in light trading with UK and US markets closed for holidays.
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Most world sharemarkets eased back in light trading with UK and US markets closed for holidays.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index lost 0.1% to 278.82. Worries about Greece's finances remained in the spotlight, pushing down the ASE Composite index 2% to 1240.25.
The German DAX 30 index was fractionally lower at 7160.30 and France's CAC 40 index shed 0.2% to 3942.53.
Chinese stocks finished lower for an eighth successive session as traders were unable to shed concerns about high inflation slowing economic growth. The Shanghai Composite index finished the day 0.1% lower at 2706.36.
Japanese stocks were pressured by a stronger yen against the US dollar. The Nikkei Stock Average dropped 0.2% to 9504.97,
Korea's Kospi dropped 0.3% to 2093.79, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gave up 0.4% to 4667.5 and India's Sensex fell 0.2% to 18,232.06.
Heading the other way, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose 0.3% to 23184.32, Taiwan's Taiex rose 0.2% to 8823.68 and Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.9% to 1076.50.
Commodities: Oil falls
Crude-oil futures fell in holiday-affected trading as the dollar made gains against the euro. The front-month July Brent contract on London's ICE futures exchange was down 35USc, or 0.3%, at $US114.68 a barrel. The front-month July contract in New York was down 43USc or 0.4%, at $US100.16.
Currencies: US dollar steady
The US dollar was steady in quiet trading as holidays drained volume from the markets.
The euro traded at $US1.4276 from $US1.4286 late on Friday in New York, while the dollar was at ¥80.90 from ¥80.85.
The UK pound was trading at $US1.6462, compared with $US1.6481 on Friday. The dollar was at 0.8527 Swiss franc from 0.8525 franc.
Nevil Gibson
Tue, 31 May 2011
Tue, 31 May 2011
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Global shares fall in soft markets
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