Economic security

Weak factories data weigh on shares; euro rises

Wall Street stock prices fell on Wednesday, dragged down by economic reports portraying U.S. factories growth as tepid and China in its worst manufacturing contraction since the global financial crisis.

The data aggravated investor anxieties that global economic growth might be sputtering, sapped a rally in European equities and gave Asian stock markets their worst day in months. Prices of U.S. Treasuries and other safe-haven government debt eased.

The reports, showing U.S. manufacturing growth stayed at a two-year low in September and Chinese factory activity shrinking to a 6-1/2 year low, spurred a selloff in U.S material and industrial stocks.