NEW YORK (Reuters) – World stocks erased the year’s gains o n Friday as investors fled risky investments for safe-haven assets on concerns about the euro zone’s deepening debt woes, while U.S. stocks lost ground after the market debut of social network Facebook (FB.O) failed to lift optimism.
Brent crude briefly slipped below $107 per barrel to its lowest in 2012 as the euro zone crisis raised fears of a global slowdown that could dent oil demand, while German borrowing costs hit record lows.
World stocks, as measured by the MSCI index, dropped 1.1 percent and to a level below where they began the year, having given up all the first-quarter gains fueled by the European Central Bank’s injection of more than 1 trillion euros. The index was on track for a sixth day of losses.
Riskier assets were all heading for big weekly losses.
Investors were unnerved by a ratings downgrade of 16 Spanish banks by Moody’s Investors Service, which deepened worries about the euro zone contagion. U.S.-listed shares of Spain’s Banco Santander (STD.N), however, were up 3.1 percent at $5.73.
Spain’s banks, saddled with bad loans after a property boom collapsed, may need a bailout that would strain Madrid’s already stretched finances and possibly require an international bailout regardless of any contagion threat from Greece.
Ongoing political and financial turmoil in Greece has kept investors worried about its ability to remain in the euro zone.
In addition, a G8 meeting of leaders of major industrial economies takes place over the weekend, possibly making some investors wary of holding positions until Monday.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was down 65.35 points, or 0.53 percent, at 12,377.14. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index .SPX was down 8.91 points, or 0.68 percent, at 1,295.95. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was down 19.50 points, or 0.69 percent, at 2,794.19.
U.S. stocks were higher in early trading, but lost ground after midday. Facebook’s debut was hit with glitches. Initial trading was delayed, and the stock is struggling to hold above its $38 offering price. It traded as high as $45 and was last up 1.5 percent at $38.57.
The S&P has fallen 6.7 percent so far in May, and while volatility is expected to continue, some analysts were forecasting a near-term rebound as valuations become more attractive.
The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 of leading European shares slid 1.1 percent, falling for a fifth day.
In the foreign exchange market, the euro rose from a four-month low against the dollar o n Friday as investors pared bets against the single currency after a 4 percent drop this month.
NYMEX crude for June delivery settled at $91.48 a barrel, falling $1.08, or 1.17 percent. For the week, it slid 4.84 percent. Brent crude was down 45 cents at $107.04 a barrel.
GERMAN BOND YIELDS HIT RECORD LOW
Benchmark 10-year German bond yields hit a record low of 1.396 percent and two-year yields also fell to their lowest-ever level at just 0.028 percent.
U.S. Treasury prices were lower. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was down 7/32 in price, the yield at 1.71 percent. Gold prices rose more than 1 percent, with spot gold at $1,591.10 an ounce.
(Reporting by Mike Peacock in London and Caroline Valetkevitch in New York; Additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos in New York and Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by Kenneth Barry and Dan Grebler)
