US Mid-Session 5 Jan 16: China & Saudi concerns weighting on markets. Here at home Dick Smith in the fray.

In China the Caixin manufacturing index fell from 48.6 to 48.2 in December (forecast 49.0). Earlier on Friday the "official" Chinese purchasing managers index for manufacturing rose from 49.6 to 49.7 in December.

 

* European shares fell on Monday. Investors fretted about a near 7% fall in the Chinese sharemarket causing authorities to close the market early. And there were worries about tensions in the Middle East after the violent reaction in Iran to Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shi'ite cleric. 

US sharemarkets fell on Monday

With an hour of trade to go, the Dow Jones index was down by 390 points or 2.3% with the S&P 500 lower by 2.2% while the Nasdaq was down by 130 points or 2.6%.

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