This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33865240
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Wall Street shares fall after yuan devaluation worries investors | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
(Close): US stocks fell sharply after China's surprise devaluation of the yuan, sending the currency to a three-year low against the dollar. | |
The move hit US companies exposed China and heightened worries about the health of the world's second largest economy. | |
Commodity prices also fell in reaction to the strengthening of the dollar. | Commodity prices also fell in reaction to the strengthening of the dollar. |
The Dow Jones fell 212.33 points, or 1.21%, to 17,402.8, and the S&P 500 lost 20 points, or 0.96%, to 2,084. The Nasdaq end down 65, 1.27%, at 5,036.79. | |
Apple fell 5.2% and General Motors closed 3.48% lower on concerns that both companies' could be impacted by the devaluation. Alibaba was another casualty, down 3.9%. | |
Oil prices were down, with US crude falling 4% to $43.08 a barrel, its lowest since March 2009. That pushed down oil related stocks, with Exxon Mobil dropping 1.6%. | |
"Obviously this devaluation seems to suggest there's a lot of weakness, and we're in thinly-traded markets right now," said Eric Kuby, chief investment officer at North Star Investment Management. | |
"To a certain extent, the stocks that have propped up the market this year have slowly fallen out of favour, so I think that you're seeing a little bit of a flight to safety," he said. | |
Google provided one of the bright spots on the market, with its shares rising 4.1% after it announced a major restructuring, creating a new parent company called Alphabet Inc. | |
Under the rebranding, Google will retain its best-known businesses, such as search, apps, YouTube and Android. | Under the rebranding, Google will retain its best-known businesses, such as search, apps, YouTube and Android. |
Some of the newer entities, such as the investment and research divisions, the "smart-home" unit Nest, and the drone arm will be run under Alphabet. | Some of the newer entities, such as the investment and research divisions, the "smart-home" unit Nest, and the drone arm will be run under Alphabet. |
Previous version
1
Next version