By Emily Horton

Oil names, miners fall after weak China trade data

London markets fell on Monday, a day ahead of the crucial U.K. parliamentary vote over Prime Minister Theresa May's divisive agreement for Britain's exit from the European Union.

Weaker-than-expected Chinese trade data added to investor worries that China's economy is slowing, dragging on perceived risker asset such as stocks and oil.

How are markets trading?

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 fell 1% to 6,851.34, after finishing up 1.2% on Friday.

The British pound was indecisive on Monday, as it struggled to make gains. The pound was trading at $1.2839 from $1.2830 seen late Friday in New York.

What is driving the markets?

(http://www.marketwatch.com/story/chinas-trade-growth-slowed-in-2018-as-global-demand-weakened-2019-01-13)U.K. Parliament will vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's divisive agreement for Brexit on Tuesday, and that has helped put U.K. markets on edge despite last week's gains.

May will address MPs on Monday and warn them that v (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brexit-brief-uk-prime-minister-makes-last-ditch-pleas-to-save-eu-deal-2019-01-14)oting against her deal could ultimately stop the U.K. from leaving the European Union (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brexit-brief-uk-prime-minister-makes-last-ditch-pleas-to-save-eu-deal-2019-01-14) (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/brexit-brief-uk-prime-minister-makes-last-ditch-pleas-to-save-eu-deal-2019-01-14). It is widely expected that the Prime Minister's deal will be rejected reject tomorrow, as politicians on both sides of the Brexit debate continue to oppose to its central tenets.

Weaker-than-expected Chinese trade data (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/chinas-trade-growth-slowed-in-2018-as-global-demand-weakened-2019-01-13) hit investor appetite for perceived riskier assets, such as stocks, and sparked fresh worries over a global economic slowdown on Monday. China's trade surplus with the U.S. also rose to $323.32 billion in 2018 (http://www.marketwatch.com/story/chinas-trade-surplus-with-us-hit-record-in-2018-2019-01-13), the widest ever as the two nations are in talks to resolve trade disputes.

What stocks are active?

Britain's Burberry PLC (BRBY.LN) rose 0.5%, after Bank of America Merrill Lynch reportedly (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/14/europe-markets-export-slump-in-china-rattles-global-stocks.html) raised its stock recommendation to neutral from underperform.

Online supermarket Ocado Group PLC (OCDO.LN) gained almost 1.2%. Meanwhile, the Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS.LN) and London Stock Exchange Group (LSE.LN) both gained around 2%.

Commodity-related shares were under pressure, with weak China data hitting oil prices and conversely shares of related companies, with heavily-weighed Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA.LN) (RDSA.LN) down 1% and BP PLC (BP.LN) (BP.LN) dropped 0.7%.

Mining shares fell, given their sensitivity to data that heightens worries about a slowdown in China, a big buyer of resources. Rio Tinto PLC (RIO.LN) (RIO.LN) eased 0.8%. Glencore PLC (GLEN.LN) (GLEN.LN) dropped 1.2% and Antofagasta PLC (ANTO.LN) lost over 2%.

Paddy Power Betfair PLC topped the FTSE 100 fallers, losing just under 3%, while retailer Next PLC (NXT.LN) followed close behind, dropping just under 3%.

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 14, 2019 06:28 ET (11:28 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
FTSE 100
Index Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more FTSE 100 Charts.
FTSE 100
Index Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024 Click Here for more FTSE 100 Charts.