Stocks Battered in Global Market Rout; Dow Plunges Over 500 Points

Dow Jones Average Continues Sharp Decline (Credit: Photograph by Andrew Burton — Getty Images)

World stock markets fell sharply Friday, recording their worst week of the year, as more data pointed to slower growth in China and sent investors scurrying to the safety of bonds and gold. Emerging market assets took another hammering and oil prices saw their longest losing streak in almost 30 years after Chinese factory activity shrank at its fastest pace since the 2009 financial crisis. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 531 points at the close, or 3.1%, adding to a Thursday’s 358-point decline

Chinese factory dataSociete Generale

fell hard againBarclays