Asia
After a week-long break for national holidays, the Shanghai stock market slumped nearly 4% on the previous closing levels. The CSI 300 was off 4.3% to 3,290 points at the close.
Better-the-expected Caixin services data failed to life investors’ mood on the return to work as they had to catch up with a range of factors, including the NAFTA deal, a weakening yuan and softer manufacturing data released last week.
Japan’s stock market was closed for a public holiday.
Europe
The slump in Asia stocks on Monday put European exchanges under pressure from the start. German and French bourses were around 1% lower on Friday’s close. The FTSE 100 was also weaker, but its losses were more modest than Eurozone counterparts.
There was plenty of corporate and economic interest at the start of the new week. Retailer French Connection (FCCN), which has had a turbulent recent history, saw its shares rise by over 40% on news of a takeover.
Also in the M&A sphere, shares in Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) fell and shares in Schroders (SDR) rose amid talks of a merger of its wealth management divisions. Staying with banking, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is considering a change of name to draw a line under its trouble decade as a bailed-out bank.
There is no Bank of England meeting this month but economists and City analysts will be focusing their attention on the Budget scheduled at the end of October. Speculation has already started that the Chancellor plans to make changes to pension tax relief, which currently adds 20%, 40% or 45% to an individual’s contributions.
The pound has dropped below $1.31 this morning, which has mitigated some of the losses on the UK’s main index.
North America
US consumer price inflation data ins due on Thursday and it is expected to show a slight rise on August levels of 2.2%.
This week sees third quarter earnings season kick off in traditional style with the Wall Street banks reporting earnings. JP Morgan (JPM) is first out of the blocks.
Canadian stock markets are closed as traders observe the Thanksgiving holiday.