- As evidence of a worldwide economic slowdown increased, investors' concerns that the start-of-the-year surge in risk assets may have gone too far led to a fall in US equity-index futures.
- After the benchmark index fell the most in a month on Wednesday after weaker-than-expected economic data, contracts on the S&P 500 index fell 0.7%. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.8%. A six-day rise in Europe's Stoxx 600 gauge came to an end. Gains were lost by the 10-year treasury note. A selloff affected international markets, from oil contracts to Japanese shares.
- Data releases indicate a significant slowdown in the rest of the world, which is starting to put the brakes on a rally fueled by optimism over China's economic reform. Reports from the US indicated a fall in company investment and consumer demand, increasing the likelihood of a recession in the biggest economy on earth. Officials from the Federal Reserve, despite this, continued to emphasise the necessity of tighter monetary policy.
