European stocks hit four-year high despite Chinese profits slump – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as US president Trump claims a trade deal is very close
- Latest: Stoxx 600 index at highest since 2015
- FTSE 100 hits two-month high
- Chinese factory profits plunge 9.9%
- Worst monthly slide since 2011 (apart from Jan-Feb)
- Economists say China is struggling
11.52am GMT
Global stock markets are creeping close to a record high today.
The MSCI all-country world index is now 0.4% shy of its previous peak, thanks to the rally in Europe and (most of) the Asia-Pacific region today.
11.34am GMT
What happened to volatility?!
The financial markets feel unnaturally calm and still at present — and that’s because volatility has slipped to unusually low levels.
BORING:
Vol in every asset class is at least half a standard deviation below its one-year average
(stocks, Treasuries, high yield, oil, FX) pic.twitter.com/STZjM4B3WN