Before the Bell: Global growth concerns lay markets low

That which laid Asian bourses low on Monday — namely Chinese inflation and downbeat jobs data from the U.S. published last Friday — is doing the same to European markets on Tuesday.

The Stoxx 600 Index was recently one per cent lower at 256.38. London's FTSE 100 was down 0.9 per cent at 5674.14. Frankfurt's DAX slumped 0.9 per cent to 6715.80 and Paris's CAC-40 declined 1.3 per cent to 3278.30. The euro currency is presently fetching US$1.3085.

In Asia, markets are mostly lower on Tuesday as investors continue to digest global growth concerns. Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average fell 0.1 per cent, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index was off 0.6 per cent and South Korea's Kospi Composite lost 0.1 per cent. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1.2 per cent and China's Shanghai Composite climbed 0.9 per cent.

On Wall Street, U.S. futures are pointing to a higher open. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 46 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 12,896, while those for the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 5.4 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 1,380.30. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 rose 11 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 2,739.50. Today marks the kickoff of earnings season with Alcoa Inc. in focus. Investors will also look to two U.S. reports: monthly wholesale trade inventories and the IBT/TIPP economic optimism index.

Here at home, Canada's benchmark fell to its lowest level since January at close on Monday on disappointing stateside jobs data. The S&P/TSX Composite Index is down 84.61 points, or 0.7 per cent, to 12,018.50. Canada's Junior Venture Exchange lost 32.39 points, or 2.19 per cent, to close at 1,448.65. The Canadian dollar is trading at US$1.0035.