This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/7229808.stm

The article has changed 13 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Stocks mixed on US economy fears US stocks rise on upbeat results
(30 minutes later)
European stocks were volatile in Tuesday trading, as turbulence returned to the markets on new US economy fears. US stocks have risen in early trading, recovering some ground from Tuesday's falls thanks to strong results from Disney and higher US productivity data.
By afternoon trading, the UK's FTSE 100 was down eight points or 0.1% to 5,860, while Germany's Dax and France's Cac were both ahead by 0.8%. In opening exchanges, the Dow Jones index was up 50 points, or 0.4%, to 12,317, while the Nasdaq added 0.5%.
Analysts said Disney's latest figures and a stronger than expected rise in US worker productivity overshadowed continuing recession fears.
Data showing contraction in the service sector saw the Dow fall 3% on Tuesday.
'Natural inclination'
"It's probably the natural inclination of markets to try to bounce after a bad day," said Peter Boockvar, equity strategist at Miller Tabak in New York.
"There's no question that Disney helped and productivity numbers coming in better than expected didn't hurt either."
The main European share indexes were mixed in Wednesday afternoon trading.
While the UK's FTSE 100 was down 31 points, or 0.5%, to 5,837, the Dax was up 0.6% and the Cac had added 0.3%.
Japan's main Nikkei 225 index had earlier finished 4.7% lower, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 5.4%.Japan's main Nikkei 225 index had earlier finished 4.7% lower, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 5.4%.
Shares on Wall Street had closed down overnight after figures showed contraction in the US service sector.
America's main Dow Jones index ended Tuesday trading down 3%.
Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 indexes also lost 3%.
'Bear market'
"It's unbridled pessimism," said Francis Lun, general manager at Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong.
There's a real probability that both the US and Europe will go into recession at the same time Francis Lun, general manager at Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong
"Everyone is concentrating on a US recession, but Europe is also looking bad. We are in for a bear market now."
The weak US service sector data came from the Institute of Supply Management's index of business activity in the non-manufacturing sector.
Its January reading came in at 41.9, the first recorded monthly contraction in almost five years.
With any number above 50 indicating growth, economists had forecast a milder decrease to 53 from 54.4 in December.
"There's a real probability that both the US and Europe will go into recession at the same time," added Mr Lun.
"It's a financial mess on the two continents with the sub-prime crisis and the SocGen debacle."