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Summary A slowdown in China would have a huge knock-on effect for other economies.
Asian markets fell on Tuesday after China cut its growth target for this year and caution over Greeces debt deal overshadowed upbeat numbers from the United States.Tokyo closed 0.63 percent, or 60.96 points, lower at 9,637.63 and Seoul slipped 0.78 percent, giving up 15.70 points to 2,000.36.Sydney fell 1.37 percent, or 58.3 points, to end at 4,204.7 after the Australian central bank kept interest rates on hold as expected.In the afternoon Hong Kong lost 1.67 percent and Shanghai shed 1.52 percent.Traders said Mondays announcement by Premier Wen Jiabao at the opening of the National Peoples Congress -- the annual parliamentary meeting -- that China would target 7.5 percent growth in 2012 cast a pall over global markets.It represents a further slowing in the worlds number two economy -- following 9.2 percent growth last year and 10.4 percent in 2010 -- as its exports are buffeted by weak demand from US and European markets.A slowdown in China would have a huge knock-on effect for other economies as they rely on it to drive their own growth.The forecast served as a reminder that while China is expected to engineer a soft landing, it remains a decelerating growth story, said Stewart Hall, senior currency strategist at RBC Dominion Securities in a note.In a world starved for growth this is an unwelcome forecast, he added, according to Dow Jones Newswires.The prospect of slower Chinese growth also weighed on Wall Street where the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.11 percent lower, the S&P 500 shed 0.39 percent and the tech-rich Nasdaq lost 0.86 percent.And in Europe Londons FTSE 100, the DAX 30 in Frankfurt and the Paris CAC 40 all ended in the red.US stocks fell despite figures showing the crucial services sector strengthened last month, according to a closely watched index released Monday.The Institute for Supply Managements services index rose to 57.3 percent from 56.8 in January, with the ISMs business activity subindex jumping to 62.6 from 59.5. A reading above 50 means the sector is growing.On forex markets the euro bought $1.3202 and 107.54 yen in early Asian trade, compared with $1.3218 and 107.76 yen in New York late Monday. The dollar was at 81.45 yen compared with 81.52 yen.The Australian dollar slipped to a two-week low of 106.10 US cents from 106.53 after the countrys central bank decision to hold rates, while analysts its statement did not count out further rate cuts.Adding to the downbeat sentiment is caution over the outcome of Greeces deal with private-sector bondholders as the deadline for them decide on whether or not to sign up for a debt writedown approaches Thursday.If all creditors agree to the offer it would cut 107 billion euros from Greeces total 350-billion-euro debt mountain.Oil prices were mixed but continued to get support from Irans stand-off with the West over its nuclear programme, which Washington is convinced is being used to make an atomic bomb.New Yorks main contract, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in April, gained 10 cents to $107.09 106.82 per barrel while Brent North Sea crude for April was down eight cents at $123.72.In the latest development Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told US President Barack Obama that Israel must remain the master of its fate in a firm defence of his right to mount a unilateral strike on Iran.Israel fears tough US and European sanctions on Iran will not convince Tehran to renounce a nuclear arsenal but Iran insists its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful civilian purposes.Gold was at $1,702.00 an ounce at 0600 GMT, compared with $1,696.80 late Monday.
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