A rebound in banks helped lift European stocks from their lowest levels since 2013, trimming a second weekly decline.

Financial markets are starting 2016 in turmoil as a rout in China rekindled concern slowing growth there will spread, while tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran added to geopolitical unease.

Flagging demand dragged China’s giant factory sector into its sharpest contraction in six-and-a-half years in September, a private survey showed yesterday, triggering a flight to safety in Asian markets that analysts say could extend across the globe.

Stocks, the dollar, and emerging market currencies around the world remained under pressure for a second day yesterday after China devalued its currency again, boosting the appeal of top-rated government bonds.

Commercial property values across a large chunk of the Project Eagle loans in Belfast have soared up to 20% since Nama signed off on the controversial transaction for €1.6bn just over a year ago, the Irish Examiner has confirmed.

Commercial property prices across a large chunk of the Project Eagle loans in Belfast have soared by up to 20% since Nama signed off on the transaction for €1.6bn just over 12 months ago, the Irish Examiner has confirmed.

AS IRELAND’S property investment market returned to new highs with 40% overall Y-O-Y returns for the final quarter of 2014, Cork city’s property investment market has also been tracked and benchmarked internationally for the first time ever.

Shares fell in Europe and Greek debt yields rose yesterday after the parliament in Athens rejected the government’s presidential candidate, setting the stage for an election that anti-bailout party Syriza could win.

Investors are prepared to pay the most on record to hold Russian shares abroad amid speculation that President Vladimir Putin’s government will be forced to implement currency controls to arrest the ruble’s decline.

US stocks climbed for a sixth straight session yesterday as the dollar and global equities rallied on more upbeat economic data from China, while prices of safe-haven debt and oil slipped on the chance of a diplomatic alternative to a potential Western military strike against Syria.

Growing merger and acquisition (M&A) activity and increasing investment suggest that firms are finally putting their massive cash piles to work, a trend which is likely to give equity markets another leg-up towards the end of the year.

Global stock markets fell yesterday as concerns over European sovereign debt returned to the forefront after the eurozone’s decision on partially funding a bailout of Cyprus by taxing bank deposits.

US petrol and heating oil futures gained and US treasuries also rose yesterday, as economic worries over Hurricane Sandy fuelled safe-haven buying in thin trading volume as the powerful storm began to batter the US east coast.

The Standard & Poor’s (S&P)& 500 index rose for a fifth straight day yesterday while US Treasury prices tumbled after the American unemployment rate fell unexpectedly to a near four-year low.

Stock markets reclaimed some ground but the euro fell on speculation Spain could move toward a debt rescue and the ECB would launch a new bond-buying plan.

The euro hit a four-month high yesterday after Germany’s top court greenlighted Europe’s new bailout fund, while hopes for more monetary stimulus from the Fed at its meeting today supported stocks.

Equity investors wishing to cash in on the London Olympics can take their pick from British hotels, advertisers or retailers — history suggests the FTSE 100 could shine in the following 12 months.

Stocks on world markets edged higher on low volumes yesterday, while Spanish bond yields rose to a euro-era high, as scepticism about a €100bn bailout for Spain’s banks scared investors ahead of elections in Greece on Sunday.

Stocks and the euro fell yesterday as investors worried about details of a €100bn deal to shore up Spain’s banks, prompting traders to cash in hefty gains triggered by the widely expected deal.

The euro rallied and bonds retreated from last week’s record low yields yesterday, as speculation increased that authorities will seek greater fiscal integration in the eurozone.

The euro fell below $1.24, near a two-year low last night, as Italian borrowing costs soared and concerns mounted over Spain’s banking sector.

World stocks erased the year’s gains and German bond yields slid to record lows yesterday as investors fled risky investments for safe-haven assets on the eurozone’s deepening debt woes.

The euro slipped along with world stocks yesterday as deepening turmoil in Greece and Spain kept investors wary of riskier assets, with weak US economic data adding to the cautious mood.

World stocks dropped and the euro fell to a four-month low against the dollar yesterday after Greece said it would hold new elections, and worries increased about its possible exit from the eurozone.

World markets took political upheaval in Europe largely in their stride yesterday.

Stocks rose yesterday after Greece’s parliament passed sweeping austerity measures, but questions about whether the plan will be enough to convince European leaders to support Athens with a new rescue package curbed an initial euro rally.

THE ISEQ was one of 12 of the 18 national benchmark indexes to decline yesterday, falling 0.45% to 2,852.48.

GLOBAL stocks and copper prices fell from recent highs yesterday after weak data from China reinforced concerns about the global economy, while the euro dipped on lagging worries over the European debt crisis.

UNEXPECTEDLY weak US job numbers for August yesterday reinforced fears of recession, driving investors out of stocks and into the safety of bonds, gold and the Swiss franc. World stocks fell nearly 2 percent after the US Labour Department said employers added no new jobs in August and July’s figure was revised lower.

TURBULENCE in global stock markets is set to continue, as the financial sector continues to grapple with the massive credit crunch that started in the US in 2007.

THE value of Irish shares have risen for three months in a row, according to new figures.

A FURTHER near seven and a half point dip to 2,343.27 points after yesterday’s half-day of trading on the ISEQ meant that the combined value of Irish shares fell by €61 billion to a mere €32.3bn over the past 12 months.

From Tokyo to Mumbai, Asian stocks plunged by record amounts this year as the region’s powerhouse economies lost steam and foreign investors pulled billions of dollars from its once-booming markets.

WORLD stocks coasted along near record highs yesterday while investors’ search for yield kept emerging market and corporate bonds closer to government debt.

RUSSIAN gas monopoly Gazprom said net profit doubled in the first half of 2006 as prices for gas in Europe and Russia rose and the firm sold bigger volumes.

THE ISEQ finished in positive territory for the second day running as the financials pushed ahead. The Exchange was 29.73 points stronger at 7635.59.

THE economic outlook in the United States is looking good and the recovery looks capable of being sustained and built upon, a leading Irish economist said yesterday.