Stocks slipped on Wednesday and the euro lurked just above parity against the dollar, as traders waited to see if U.S. inflation data later bolsters the case for another supersized Federal Reserve interest rate hike this month.
Recession worries meant Europe's bourses were stumbling again after a relatively steady session in Asia Pacific where South Korea and New Zealand had jacked up their rates again.
London's FTSE (.FTSE), Germany's DAX (.GDAXI) and France's CAC40 (.FCHI) were all down 0.6-0.8% , while the euro managed to claw up to $1.0050 even as gas prices jumped another 4.2% /FRX
Copper, which is attuned to global growth, had hit a 20-month low too having now slumped 30% since April, although Wall Street futures were pointing higher.
UK economic growth data also delivered an unexpected rise but investors were far more focused on whether the U.S. inflation numbers due shortly show it pushing toward 9%, which would be the highest since 1981.
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