Uncertainty about the prospects for the global economy and concerns that Spain may delay signing up for a full sovereign bailout prompted further weakness for equities, peripheral eurozone government bonds and the euro.
Disappointing purchasing managers’ data from China and the eurozone provided much of the day’s focus. In China, the HSBC/Markit preliminary manufacturing PMI actually inched higher in September, but remained below the 50 level that nominally divides contraction from expansion for an 11th successive month.
Meanwhile, the eurozone “flash” composite PMI unexpectedly eased back this month to 45.9, its lowest level in more than three years.