* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Germany avoids technical recession
* China slowdown deepens
* European shares open lower
* FX risk off sentiment "alive and well"
By Ritvik Carvalho
LONDON, Nov 14 (Reuters) - World stocks nudged down on
Thursday as Chinese economic data slowed in October and Germany
only narrowly avoided a recession in the third quarter, adding
to worries about the global growth fallout from the U.S.-China
trade war.
MSCI'S All-Country World index .MIWD00000PUS , which tracks
shares in 47 countries, was down 0.14% after the start of
trading in Europe.
European shares fell after data showing the German economy
grew just 0.1% in the third quarter, avoiding edging into a mild
contraction thanks to consumer spending but remaining weak
nevertheless. The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX index was flat by midday
in London, while Germany's DAX .GDAXI was down 0.2%. .EU
"Obviously it's better than expected, but actually I would
argue is that it's a hollow victory because in effect it makes a
fiscal response less likely," said Michael Hewson, chief markets
analyst at CMC Markets in London, referring to the German data.
"I think if they'd gone into a technical recession, the
pressure to loosen the purse strings, so to speak, would have
been much much greater."
Ten-year bond yields across the euro area fell around 2
basis points each. Germany, French and Dutch yields reached
one-week lows NL10YT=RR , FR10YT=RR . GVD/EUR
U.S. stock futures were down 0.1%, pointing to a weaker
opening on Wall Street. ESc1 .N
In Asia, stocks fell after soft economic data in China and
Japan showed the trade war between Beijing and Washington was
hitting growth in some of the world's biggest economies.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS fell 0.3%. Japan's Nikkei stock index .N225
fell further, dropping 0.8%.
Shanghai blue chips .CSI300 were up 0.15%, however,
supported by expectations that the gloomy figures would add to
the case for stimulus.
China's factory output growth slowed significantly more than
expected in October, as weakness in global and domestic demand
and the drawn-out Sino-U.S. trade war weighed on broad segments
of the world's second-largest economy.
Fixed asset investment, a key driver of economic growth,
rose just 5.2% from January to October, against expected growth
of 5.4% and the weakest pace since Reuters' records began in
1996. China and the United States are holding in-depth discussions
on a "phase one" trade agreement, and cancelling tariffs is an
important condition to reach such a deal, the Chinese commerce
ministry said on Thursday. China's industrial production growth slowed sharply in
October, with the 4.7% year-on-year rise well below forecasts
for 5.4%. Investment growth hit a record low and retail sales
also missed expectations. The weak figures also come as market confidence about a
resolution being reached weakens, with a new Reuters poll
showing most economists do not expect Washington and Beijing to
strike a permanent truce over the coming year. Trump offered no update on the progress of negotiations in a
policy speech on Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal reported on
Wednesday that talks had snagged on farm purchases. U.S. futures ESc1 were down 0.14%, following a record-high
close on the S&P 500 .SPX on Wednesday. .N
Worries about spiralling violence as anti-government
protests intensify in Hong Kong have also soured investor
sentiment.
Protesters paralysed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day,
forcing school closures and blocking highways and other
transport links in a marked escalation of unrest in the
financial hub. Hong Kong's Hang Seng .HSI fell 0.8% to a fresh one-month
low.
RISK-OFF 'ALIVE AND WELL'
In currency markets, safe havens such as the Japanese yen
and Swiss franc gained.
The yen JPY=EBS was quoted at 108.67 per dollar, close to
a one-week high. The Swiss franc CHF=EBS traded at 0.9889
versus the greenback, also near its highest in more than a week.
"Increasing signs of unrest in Hong Kong and Latin America
coupled with the uncertainty around the trade talks is keeping
the risk-off sentiment well and alive in FX markets," said Lee
Hardman, a London-based currency strategist at MUFG.
The dollar was flat against a basket of peers. .DXY
The Australian dollar skidded to a one-month low after a
worryingly weak reading on employment re-ignited speculation
about another cut in interest rates. Oil rose after industry data showed a surprise drop in U.S.
crude inventories, while comments from an OPEC official about
lower-than-expected U.S. shale production growth in 2020 also
provided some support. O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 futures rose 1.27% to $63.16 a barrel,
while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 gained
1.09% to $57.74 per barrel. The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR
fell to 1.8428%, compared with its U.S. close of 1.869% on
Wednesday.