Markets: 19th November

19/11/09 20:13 CET

markets

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European shares finished sharply lower, extending their losses as Wall Street headed deep into negative territory.

Technology stocks were among the biggest losers after analysts at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch cut their growth outlook for the global semiconductor industry. ASML, Europe’s largest maker of semiconductor equipment, tumbled along with Infineon, Nokia, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent as did Intel, Marvell and Texas Instruments in the US. Banks also lost value, among them HSBC, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Credit Agricole, Natixis, UBS and Credit Suisse And food producers slipped after Danone cut its sales growth target. Lower oil and metal prices have pulled down the shares of commodity producers. As equities fell the dollar rose pushing further away from recent 15-month lows. The relative strength of the dollar has knocked down the price of gold.More about: European markets, Markets, Technology

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Syrian bloodshed spreads to Aleppo

The upsurge in violence in Syria has spread to the northern city of Aleppo, where soldiers and civilians have been killed in separate explosions, according to state TV. It said a building used by military intelligence and a security forces as a…