Equity markets fell to a low of 13 months Thursday, signs of slowdown in the industrial sector in Europe and China fueling fears of recession in the wake of alarming economic outlook given by the Federal Reserve of the United States.
Faced with the loss of investor confidence, the dollar, especially U.S. Treasury bonds, have emerged as the ultimate safe haven.Gold fell to the contrary.
The MSCI world equity index fell 4.5%, which pore its losses to 16% since the beginning of the year.
The three major indexes on Wall Street fell for the fourth straight session, as volume expanded to 13 billion shares traded.
The Dow Jones lost 3.51% or 391.01 points at 10,733.83 points, while the Standard & Poor's 500, part of fund managers, fell by 3.19% or 37.20 points, to 1129.56 points, after a moment passed down the line key 1,120 points. The Nasdaq Composite has given 3.25% or 82.52 points to 2455.67 points.
The CAC 40 index fell 5.25% to 2781.68 points, in a transaction volume of 4.27 billion euros.The day ended with a loss of over 40 billion euro market capitalization only on the values of the benchmark index of the Paris Bourse.
The London Stock Exchange lost 4.67%, the Frankfurt and Milan 4.96% 4.52%.The pan-European Euro Stoxx 50 index dropped 4.9%.
The Fed on Wednesday raised "significant downside risks" to the economy of the United States, before announcing an "Operation Twist" 400 billion dollars to bring down long rates, and support activity.
But Wall Street estimates that only 15% chance that the "Operation Twist" gives a real boost to the U.S. economy, according to a Reuters poll of primary dealers of Treasury.
EURO, GOLD AND OIL DOWN
Fears of a relapse of the global economy have intensified Thursday with the contraction in private sector activity observed in the eurozone and in China and in the absence of affirmative action in economic from the political leaders .
"Investors realize that one side, the economy slows down and across the developed countries like the United States and Europe have more and more difficult," said Michael Sheldon, market specialist at RDM Financial.
"As a result, investors out actions to rush on U.S. Treasury bonds, which only seem to represent security today."
In this unfavorable context for risky assets, return on German government bond (Bund) was relaxed to 10 years of nine basis points to fall to 1.68% – a new record low – and that of the French OAT ten basis points to 2.52%.
In the U.S., the yield on Treasuries of ten-year benchmark fell to 1.72%, its lowest level in at least 60 years, against 1.87% late Wednesday. The paper at age 30 has fallen below 2.8%, the lowest since January 2009.
The euro fell below 1.35 dollars, its lowest in seven months and was trading around 1.3430 / 34 vis-à-vis the ticket to Wednesday night against 1.3584.
The dollar's gains have led to the decline in raw materials. Even gold, considered a safe haven, lost nearly 5% to hit its lowest level in nearly a month because of the rising dollar.The spot gold was trading in the last place around 1737 dollars per ounce.
In fear of a recession, investors sold mainly cyclical stocks, as European car (-6.67%).
Similarly, banks, weighed down by an endless debt crisis in the euro area remain under pressure, including the French institutions. BNP Paribas lost 5.70%, 9.57% Societe Generale and Credit Agricole 9.49%. U.S. banks also lost ground. Citigroup has lost more than 6%.
Oil prices also ended sharply lower, on expectations of lower energy consumption in a recession.