The FTSE 100 Futures is trading at 6,064.30 up with +0.11% percent or +6.80  point. The CAC 40 Futures is trading at 4,922.20 with a loss of  -0.31% percent or -15.30 point. The DAX Futures is trading at 12,835.50 with a loss of -0.27% or -34.80 point. The EURO Stoxx 50 Futures trading at 3,274.00 with a loss of -0.09% percent or –0.09% point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

Data released earlier by China’s National Bureau of Statistics showed retail sales fell 1.1% on the year in July, which was an improvement on the 1.8% drop in June but missed expectations of a 0.1% increase. This marked the seven month in a row that sales have fallen.

Meanwhile, industrial output rose 4.8% on the year in July, matching June’s expansion rate and coming in below expectations of a 5.1% jump.

CMC Markets analyst Michael Hewson said the latest retail sales and industrial production numbers from China “continue to point to a weak recovery in the region”.

YESTERDAY ACTIVITY

For the day the FTSE 100 closed at 6,053.85 with a loss of –0.37% percent or ?22.77 point. France’s CAC  40 closed at 4,938.06 with a loss of –0.68% percent or ?33.88  point.Germany’s DAX closed at 12,881.76 with a loss of -0.30% percent or –38.90 point.

WORLD MARKETS

For the day the Dow is trading at 27,778.07 with a loss of -0.24% percent or -66.84 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 3,389.78 up with +0.23% percent or +7.79 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 11,210.84 up with +0.73% percent or +81.12 point.

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at at 23,110.61 up with +0.26% percent or +59.53 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 25,152.51 with a loss of –0.85% percent or –214.87 point. China’s Shanghai  Composite is trading at 3,408.13 with a loss of –1.24% percent or ?42.96 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 38,731.49 up with +0.53% percent or +203.17  point at 12:15 PM.