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European Markets Close Lower as Global Growth Concerns Persist; Stoxx 600 Down 0.5%

A toy bull sits in front of the DAX Index curve at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany.
Martin Leissl | Bloomberg | Getty Images

This is CNBC's live blog covering European markets.

European markets closed lower on Tuesday as concerns persisted over the global growth outlook and the prospect of more monetary policy tightening from central banks.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed down 0.5%, recovering somewhat from steeper losses earlier in the session.

All major bourses and the majority of sectors ended the session in the red. The chemicals sector was the worst performing of the day, closing down 2.5%, while retail was the best performing, gaining 0.75%.

The region's markets have suffered consecutive losing days as volatility continues to rattle sentiment. Along with concern over interest rate hikes from central banks and their impact on economic growth, markets in Europe also watched developments in Ukraine after multiple explosions hit the center of Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Monday.

The Bank of England also continued its battle to restore order to U.K. markets on Tuesday, with volatility in long-dated government bonds posing what it called a "material risk to U.K. financial stability."

Global markets are looking ahead to a key U.S. inflation print on Thursday and the beginning of corporate earnings season.

IMF cuts global growth forecast for next year

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday cut its global growth forecast for next year to 2.7%.

The prediction is 0.2 percentage points lower than its July forecast, and suggests that 2023 will feel like a recession for millions around the world.

– Karen Gilchrist

U.S. stocks open lower

U.S. stocks opened lower Tuesday as Wall Street looked ahead to key inflation data and earning reports.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.2% in early trade while the S&P 500 was 0.7% lower.

The Nasdaq Composite was 0.8%, extending losses after it closed at its lowest in two years Monday.

— Karen Gilchrist

Stocks on the move: Brenntag down 6%, Qiagen up 5%

German chemicals company Brenntag saw its shares slide 6.4% by mid-afternoon after Stifel cut its price target for the stock, while shares of Swiss fragrance and flavors manufacturer Givaudan also fell 6% after its third-quarter earnings report.

At the top of the Stoxx 600, Qiagen climbed 5.6% after the Wall Street Journal reported that the German genetic testing firm was in merger talks with U.S.-based Bio-Rad Laboratories.

- Elliot Smith

Bank of England intervenes in bond markets again, warns of 'material risk' to UK financial stability

The Bank of England on Tuesday announced an expansion of its emergency bond-buying operation as it looks to restore order to the country's chaotic bond market.

The central bank said it will widen its purchases of U.K. government bonds — known as gilts — to include index-linked gilts from Oct. 11 until Oct. 14. Index-linked gilts are bonds where payouts to bondholders are benchmarked in line with the U.K. retail price index.

"The beginning of this week has seen a further significant repricing of UK government debt, particularly index-linked gilts. Dysfunction in this market, and the prospect of self-reinforcing 'fire sale' dynamics pose a material risk to UK financial stability," the bank said in a statement Tuesday.

Read the full story here.

- Elliot Smith

UK labor market remains tight; retail spending rises

Shoppers pass along the main high street in Whitstable, UK.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Shoppers pass along the main high street in Whitstable, UK.

The U.K. employment rate dipped 0.3 percentage points in the period from June to August, but remained robust at 75.5%.

The unemployment rate also fell by 0.3 percentage points to hit 3.5%, the lowest level since 1974, and the number of unemployed people per job vacancy fell to a record low of 0.9. Meanwhile, the number of people who were economically inactive due to long-term sickness was at an all-time high.

The British Chambers of Commerce said labor market tightness was holding back the ability for businesses to service existing customers and grow.

Figures also published Tuesday by the British Retail Consortium showed retail sales were up 2% year-on-year. However, the BRC said this was likely due to inflation as overall sales volumes fell, and noted weakening consumer confidence.

— Jenni Reid

CNBC Pro: Is it time to buy gold? Wall Street pros weigh in as prices fall

Gold has come under pressure this year, with the dollar's big gain weighing on gold prices. 

Spot gold was trading down 1% at $1,676 per ounce Monday — near a 2.5-year low. So is now the time to buy? CNBC Pro asked several market watchers for their thoughts.

Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Zavier Ong

CNBC Pro: China's tech stocks are tumbling, but short sellers have a different sector in their sights

Chinese tech stocks are down by 20% this year — but short sellers are targeting a different sector.

Some $742 million of new bearish bets were placed on one Chinese sector in particular in the third quarter. That compares to a reduction of around $150 million in shorts on the tech sector.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Ganesh Rao

U.S. Treasury yields climb, 30-year hits highest level since 2013

The yield on the 30-year U.S. Treasury note climbed as high at 3.941%, reaching its highest level in nine years.

The 10-year yield rose to 3.963% and the 2-year yield inched higher to 4.318%. Rates fell earlier this month but started to rise again after positive economic data in the U.S. led investors to increase bets on further rate hikes by the Fed.

Bond yields move inversely to prices and one basis point is equivalent to 0.01%.

— Abigail Ng

CNBC Pro: Wall Street is bullish on some corners of tech again, as Citi gives one stock 115% upside

Some Wall Street banks have started making the case for buying into tech again, naming specific sectors they are bullish on.

Citi and Morgan Stanley both said they have upgraded tech to overweight.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more about the areas they are looking at and the global stocks to buy.

— Weizhen Tan

European markets: Here are the opening calls

European stocks are heading for a lower open on Tuesday as global growth concerns persist.

The U.K.'s FTSE index is expected to open 38 points lower at 6,933, Germany's DAX 52 points lower at 12,235, France's CAC 40 down 39 points at 5,813 and Italy's FTSE MIB 119 points lower at 20,647, according to data from IG.

The region's markets closed lower on Monday as volatility continued to rattle sentiment. Along with concern over interest rate hikes from central banks and their impact on economic growth, markets in Europe were also watching developments in Ukraine after multiple explosions hit the center of Ukraine's capital Kyiv.

Global markets are looking ahead to a key U.S. inflation print on Thursday and the beginning of corporate earnings season.

LVMH releases their latest sales update on Tuesday and data releases include U.K. employment figures for August and Italian industrial output for August.

— Holly Ellyatt

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