Global Stock Market: Shares Trading Mixed Amid Worries About China Economy

Global shares were trading mixed Wednesday amid worries over discouraging data on China, as well as over the future of the U.S. economy.

Stock market report shows France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.4% in early trading to 7,292.89, while Germany’s DAX rose 0.2% to 15,799.93. Britain’s FTSE 100 was little changed, inching down less than 0.1% to 7,387.74.

U.S. shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.2% at 35,073.00. S&P 500 futures gained 0.2% to 4,463.00.

But benchmarks fell in Asia earlier in the day.

New Zealand’s central bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 5.5% on Wednesday. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s monetary policy committee said the headline inflation rate had declined, but core inflation remained too high. The committee said it would take a prolonged period of subdued spending to reduce inflation pressure. The New Zealand dollar was little changed on the news, trading at around US $0.60.

“A recent set of disappointing economic data out of China has not been encouraging for the region,” said Yeap Jun Rong, market analyst at IG.