STOCK MARKET WATCH -- Wednesday, 4 April 2012

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20. World stocks slump on US job growth worries

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WORLD_MARKETS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-04-04-05-02-00

BANGKOK (AP) -- World stock markets fell into negative territory Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve voiced concern about U.S. job growth but appeared to refrain from taking steps to prop up the economy.

Benchmark oil fell below $104 per barrel while the dollar rose against the euro but fell against the yen.

European stocks fell in early trading. Britain's FTSE 100 lost 0.7 percent to 5,796.11. Germany's DAX dropped 1.2 percent to 6,894.29 and France's CAC-40 lost 0.9 percent to 3,375.09. Wall Street, too, was headed to a lower opening, with Dow Jones industrial futures down 0.5 percent to 13,072 and S&P 500 futures lowing 0.5 percent to 1,401.80.

Asian stocks also faltered. Japan's Nikkei 225 index plunged 2.3 percent to 9,819.99, its lowest close in nearly a month. South Korea's Kospi tumbled 1.5 percent to 2,018.61 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was marginally lower at 4,333.90.