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European Markets Down as Gold, Oil Maintain Solid Gains

VOA News

   European markets were in a slump Thursday as investors pulled back from
   their recent buying spree.
   The London-based FTSE index was 0.6% lower at midday. The CAC-40 in
   Paris was down 0.2%, while Frankfurt's DAX index was 0.3% higher.
   Asian markets finished mostly lower earlier in the day. Japan's
   benchmark Nikkei index dropped 0.1%, while both the Hang Seng index in
   Hong Kong and the KOSPI in South Korea plunged 1.5%. Mumbai's Sensex
   fell 0.7%.
   Shanghai's Composite index gained 0.5% in its first trading session
   after a long Lunar New Year holiday, and Taiwan's TSEC closed up 0.3%.
   Elsewhere, Australia's S&P/ASX index finished nearly three-quarters of
   one point higher (+0.01%).
   In commodities trading, gold was selling at $1,782.00 per ounce, up
   0.5%. U.S. crude oil was selling at $61.47 per barrel, up 0.5. Brent
   crude was also 0.5% higher, selling at $64.67 per barrel.
   All three major U.S. indices were trending downward in futures trading
   ahead of Thursday's opening bell on Wall Street.

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