· Stocks fell on Thursday after the European Central Bank slashed its economic growth forecast for 2019 and announced a new round of stimulus to help banks in the region, stoking worries over the global economy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 200.23 points lower at 25,473.23 as shares of Caterpillar and Walgreens Boots Alliance lagged. The S&P 500 fell 0.8 percent to 2,748.93, led by declines in the financials and consumer discretionary sectors. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.1 percent to 7,421.46. The indexes posted their fourth consecutive loss.
· European shares closed lower Thursday after the European Central Bank cut its forecast for growth in the euro zone.
The central bank also announced it was to start a fresh set of loans to banks. The TLTRO program, which will be launched in September this year and end in March 2021, is seen as a bid by the central bank to prop up Europe's flagging economy.
European banking stocks shed 2 percent by the end of the session, despite hitting a session high straight after the announcement. Meanwhile the euro dipped 0.7 percent against the U.S. dollar.
At the closing bell, the pan-European Stoxx 600 was down almost 0.6 percent with almost every sector in the red. Autos and basic resources both shed more than 2 percent. Investors are also taking a cautious approach as they wait for further details on a possible trade agreement between China and the U.S.
· Stocks in Asia declined in morning trade on Friday on the back of an overnight slide in shares stateside, as investors grappled with fresh concerns over the state of the global economy.
· Japan's Nikkei 225 slipped 0.95 percent in early trade, as shares of index heavyweights Fast Retailing, Softbank and Fanuc all saw declines. The Topix also slipped 1.04 percent.
· Over in South Korea, the Kospi shed 0.58 percent as automaker Hyundai Motor saw its stock drop 1.59 percent.
Reference: CNBC
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