Before the bell: Markets mostly lower on China lull

While the U.S. economy continues to show improvement, the greenback strengthens and European debt concerns recede, sluggish growth in China is causing mixed market performance Thursday.

Upbeat U.S. economic data and a benign European debt backdrop have helped shore up markets of late. But China is already in a "hard landing" as weak demand in its property market and other indicators suggests the slump may continue.

The benchmark Stoxx Europe 600 Index was down 0.1 per cent at 269.93. Frankfurt's DAX was 0.2 per cent higher at 7092.27 and Paris's CAC-40 was flat at 3566.20. London's FTSE 100 Index was down 0.1 per cent at 5937.02, a result of Fitch Ratings cutting the outlook on the U.K. to negative on Wednesday. The euro currency is presently fetching US$1.3055.

Asian bourses ended mostly lower on Thursday. China's Shanghai Composite lost 0.7 per cent to close at 2373.77, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index dropped 0.2 per cent to 4277.8 and South Korea's Kospi gave up 0.1 per cent to 2043.76. Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 0.7 per cent to 10123.28, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.2 per cent. to 21353.53.

However on Wall Street, U.S. futures are pointing to a higher open. Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 15 points to 13145. Futures for the S&P 500 Index rose 2.3 points to 1391 and Nasdaq 100 futures added five points to 2707.75. On the economic data calendar for Thursday, investors will be watching for a U.S. weekly jobless claims, producer prices for February and the Federal Reserve's March Empire State Index manufacturing activity report.

Declines in gold stocks saw Canada's benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index close lower on Wednesday by 159.79 points, or 1.3 per cent, at 12,377.90. The TSX Venture Exchange was down 33.03 points to 1,594.35. The Canadian dollar is presently trading at 100.7¢ US.