Business Today: Factory activity in Europe, Asia cools; demand lull a concern

		Click to View in Browser 09/1/2014 Factory activity in Europe, Asia cools; demand lull a concern BANGALORE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Factory activity in Europe and Asia cooled in August after a strong July, as new orders dwindled in the face of escalating tensions in Ukraine and a patchy recovery in China, purchasing managers indexes showed. European investors hold nerve as Russia-Ukraine warnings ratchet up LONDON (Reuters) - European markets cautiously navigated warnings that the conflict in Ukraine was sliding out of control, focusing instead on whether the European Central Bank will strengthen its stimulus plans when it meets this week. U.S. inflation bonds back in vogue NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investors are back in the hunt for inflation protection for the first time in two years as rising housing costs - particularly for rent - suggest inflation may finally be waking from its post-recession slumber. Central European PMIs point to slowdown as sanctions hit sentiment PRAGUE (Reuters) - Polish manufacturing activity shrank for a second straight month in August and Czech expansion slowed more than expected, adding to signs weaker euro zone economies and crisis in Ukraine are cooling growth in the EU's east. Twenty years on, Schaeuble pleads again for core Europe PARIS (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble renewed a call for a core group of European Union countries to move ahead faster with economic and political integration, 20 years after his ground-breaking proposal fell on deaf ears in key partner France. China manufacturing slowdown ripples through region SYDNEY (Reuters) - Growth in China's vast factory sector slackened in August as foreign and domestic demand slowed, stoking speculation that further policy easing would be needed to prevent the economy from stumbling once more. Euro zone factory growth slows in August amid Ukraine tension: PMI LONDON, (Reuters) - Euro zone manufacturing growth slowed slightly more than initially thought last month as new orders dwindled and factories suffered amid rising tensions in Ukraine, a business survey showed on Monday. Retreat in China's PMIs heightens calls for policy easing BEIJING (Reuters) - Growth in China's vast factory sector cooled in August as foreign and domestic demand slowed, two surveys showed on Monday, spurring new calls for more policy easing to prevent the economy from stumbling once more. KPMG refuses to approve BES accounts, warns of further loss LISBON (Reuters) - Auditor KPMG has refused to approve bailed-out Banco Espirito Santo's first-half report and accounts, published on Monday, citing the bank's failure to provide adequate information on its financial position and also warned of possible further losses. China gives Microsoft 20 days to provide explanation in anti-trust probe BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese anti-trust regulator said on Monday it has given Microsoft Corp 20 days to reply to queries on the compatibility of its Windows operating system and Office software suite amid a probe into the world's largest software company. Related Video China factory sentiment shows growth pressure lurks Breakingviews: Beijing signals no more 'hands-off Hong Kong' Economic News U.S. inflation bonds back in vogue Factory activity in Europe, Asia cools; demand lull a concern A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend