Markets jittery as trade war and recession worries spook investors -as it happened
(The Guardian China)

Beijing has alarmed investors by threatening counter-measures against the US, threatening to escalate the trade warLatest: Beijing says US has violated trade agreementFTSE 100 hits five-month lowEarlier:US yield curve inverts for second-day running10-year US bonds offer lower return than 2-year - a worrying signStocks have fallen across Asia todayLast night, Wall Street tumbled by 3% 4.45pm BST Update: Britain´s FTSE 100 has hit a new six-month closing low.The blue-chip index just closed 80 points lower at 7,067, a drop of 1.1%. 3.28pm BST Time for a quick recapFinancial markets remain volatile today, as fears of an economic downturn hit stock prices and drive bond prices to new record highs. Related: Online shoppers and Amazon Prime Day lift UK retail sales If President Xi would meet directly and personally with the protesters, there would be a happy and enlightened ending to the Hong Kong problem. I have no doubt! https://t.co/eFxMjgsG1K 3.07pm BST Elsewhere in the markets, sterling has hit its highest level this week.The pound has gained three-quarters of a cent, to $1.2122. Traders are citing efforts to prevent a no-deal Brexit, as MPs try to stop Boris Johnson crashing the UK out of the EU at the end of October. 2.48pm BST After its worst day of 2019, Wall Street has just opened cautiously.The main stock indices are slightly lower, with traders keeping their powder dry while recession worries rage. 2.37pm BST Newsflash: Donald Trump has now weighed in, saying that the US-China trade deal has do be done `on our terms`.That´s pushing back against Beijing´s call for a compromise `half way`.TRUMP SAYS U.S.-CHINA TRADE DEAL HAS TO BE A DEAL ON `OUR TERMS` -SYNDICATED RADIO INTERVIEW -Reuters News 2.16pm BST Less good news: US factory output declined by 0.4% in July, new data show.That´s a little worse than expected, and follows a 0.6% gain in June. 2.10pm BST Mohamed A. El-Erian, chief economic adviser at insurance giant Allianz, has dismissed talk that Ame ...