STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Tuesday, 20 March 2012

[Ghost Dog]

13. Stocks, Commodities Drop as China Growth Slows

China, the world’s biggest energy consumer and steelmaker, is raising fuel prices for the second time in less than six weeks. The nation’s vehicle sales may miss industry forecasts this year as economic growth slows, an official from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said. U.S. housing starts probably gained 0.1 percent last month, reaching a three- month high, economists said before a report later today.

“There will be some sort of slowdown coming out of China and the Asian economies,” said Tim Price, who helps oversee more than $1.5 billion of assets at PFP Group LLP in London. “It can definitely take the heat out of the commodities markets.”

The Stoxx Europe 600 Index (SXXP) fell 1 percent as Bayerische Motoren Werke AG and Daimler AG slid more than 3.5 percent, leading a gauge of automakers to the biggest drop in two weeks...

...The drop in S&P 500 (SPX) futures indicated the U.S. equities gauge will decline from the highest level since May 2008.

Oil fell for the first time in three days in New York, retreating 0.9 percent to $107.10 a barrel. Silver dropped 2.1 percent to $32.265 an ounce and gold slid 1.2 percent to $1,647.80 an ounce...

/... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-20/asian-stocks-fall-after-china-raises-fuel-prices-oil-retreats.html