Data showed China's exports sank 10 per cent in September from the year-earlier month, while imports unexpectedly fell, down 1.9 per cent. In 2.06pm trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite Index retreated 0.4 per cent. In 2.08pm trading, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index slid 0.4 per cent. The UK's FTSE 100 Index gave up 0.7 per cent, Germany's DAX Index declined 1 per cent, while France's CAC 40 Index dropped 1.1 per cent. Shares of Unilever closed 3.4 per cent lower in London after the company reported a 0.4 per cent drop in the volume of goods sold in the third quarter.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 13, 2016 19:07 UTC