European stock markets were down in mid-day, posting the seventh decline in eight sessions after the publication of indicators Chinese fuel fears about the state of the global economy.
For this first session running at a disastrous quarter for equity markets, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index lost 1.19% to 10:45 GMT at 981.69, after touching a low of three weeks.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of leading industrial stocks in the euro zone, meanwhile shrank by 1.1% to 2544.97 to go below the key level of 38% retracement of the rise between the lowest March 2009 and peak in January compared to the historic low of March 2009, raising fears that its decline is far from complete.
The next level of support is the lowest in 2010 at 2448.10, touched in May
On Wall Street, the S & P 500 fell on Wednesday under the 1040 he managed to maintain since February, falling firmly in a downtrend, which could lead to a sharp fall in the months ahead.
Indicators have shown that the growth of China's manufacturing sector slowed in June in response to efforts by Beijing to curb the expansion of housing and contain the increase in funding.
"The Asian growth has been the engine of the global economy, so if China loses its speed, it will not go well," said Jacques Henry, analyst at Louis Capital Markets.
"With very dull statistics from the U.S., there is growing nervousness over a new recession."
SLOWDOWN IN CHINA AND INDIA
The Chinese official PMI stood at 52.1 in June against 53.9 in MayThis is the lowest figure since February and is well below the expected figure of 53.1 on average by ten analysts polled by Reuters.
A similar survey conducted by HSBC for its shows a sharper decline to 50.4 last month against 52.7 in May
In India too, the growth of manufacturing activity slowed in June due to a deceleration in the rate of increase in production and new orders slightly lower than in May.
PMI Purchasing Managers HSBC, drawn on a survey of 500 companies fell to 57.3 in June against 59.0 in May, the level that had constituted a high of more than two years.
Very sensitive to changes in the Chinese economy, mining stocks are affected. Xstrata lost 2.67%, BHP was down 1.62% and Rio Tinto fell back to 0.88%.
The banking situation is more delicate approach to the recovery of around 500 billion euros at the European Central Bank.Credit Agricole fell 2.33%, 2.23% and BBVA Banco Popolare 0.66%.
Barclays accused it for an even more marked decline after announcing that business conditions in the segment of the investment bank had deteriorated over the last two months.
Adding to the gloom, the French manufacturing PMI came to show that growth in the French manufacturing industry slowed in June for the second consecutive month in France and the sector has continued to destroy jobs, according to PMI survey published Thursday by the Institute Markit Economics.
The German situation is rather less alarming because the industry has finally emerged while a stable flash estimate predicted a slowdown.